The Gulf States in the Middle East, namely: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman continue to offer vast opportunities to foreign labor in the construction, medical,tourism, retail, energy, engineers and planners,telecommunication, operation and maintenance,hotel and restaurant and IT sectors. These sectors are experiencing growth and expansion due to major infrastructure projects, expansion of exploration and
production of the oil and gas sectors.

Due to the economic boom in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,the Saudi government has announced mega projects in the country, such as the Economic Cities in Rabigh and Jizan, railway projects linking east and west of the Kingdom,petrochemical projects, new hospitals, new universities and a wave of new industries. Major companies like Saudi Aramco and Saudi Basic Industries (SABIC) will need more engineers and construction workers until 2010 to work on $95 million worth of projects in the Kingdom. The largest new project of Aramco – the $9,000 million offshore Manifa Field Development Plan called for the construction of
a 40-kilometer long causeway from the Saudi Coast which would be used to provide access to Manifa production rigs.

Qatar has embarked on one of the most ambitious development programs in the world today, which encompasses the oil and gas sector, infrastructure, non-oil and gas-related industry, education, health and tourism. In the light of the government’s policy to provide health care for all the residents of the country, plans are underway to develop the Middle East’s largest comprehensive medical facility, the Hamad Medical City Complex.

In United Arab Emirates, the General Authority for Health Services (GAHS) for Abu Dhabi will take over the operation of 13 government hospitals and primary health centers, constructs hospitals, clinics and health centers to be completed in three (3) years. Al Habtoor Group of Companies announced a 6 Billion dirham expansion project involving the development of new residential,commercial and hospitality projects in two years time.

Construction projects are booming in Kuwait. The Kuwait Ministry of Housing and Public Works said the construction of 9,625 residential units in Sabah al Ahmad City will create 11,356 job openings. The city project will have state of the art amenities which includes residential, commercial, educational, medical, tourism and entertainment services.

The first phase of the Silk City Project also in Kuwait,which is considered as one of the major additions in the field of development, will be completed in the next 5-7 years. It will be the biggest waterfront project in the world and the expected benefits out of the project will generate additional job opportunities in the hotel, restaurant and cleaning industry.

There are other employment opportunities in the health services, tourism, fisheries, construction and oil exploration sectors in Libya; nurses and skilled workers in construction and steel production sector in Jordan; industrial workers in Israel; and hotel and restaurant workers in Lebanon.