The Kafala System: the case of Lebanon and ways forward

Abstract

As the process of globalization deepens around the world, migration increases due to worldwide transformations that affect the economic, social and political spheres. This trend has been reflected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) World Migration Report 2020, which estimates the number of international migrants to be 272 million globally, of which around two thirds are labor migrants1. This paper focuses on labor migration in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council states (GCC), Lebanon, and Jordan. In these countries, labor migration has been particularly contributory for their development by creating abundant job positions, especially in the areas of construction and domestic work that have been occupied by migrant workers from other Arab countries, South-East Asia, and more recently Africa2. This phenomenon has had two major consequences. Firstly, it presents a major benefit for the migrant workers, who provide billions of dollars in remittances for their families and countries of origin3. Another benefit is for the host countries, where there has been a colossal development in their economies and societies through imported cheap labor, to the extent that major changes in the population size and other demographic variables have been observed. Currently, all GCC countries, with the exception of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Oman, have a larger migrant population than nationals.