Once a desert, located in a part of the world that many would deem unlivable because of temperatures that climb up to over 50 degrees Celsius, the United Arab Emirates revolutionised by developing its constituent sheikhdoms into state-of-the-art cities and creating a system that would enable foreigners to come in and work, bringing in their capital with them. As this transformation was underway in the 1970s, fueled by the discovery of oil reserves and the ensuing building boom, Dubai in particular drew a large-scale influx of Pakistanis.
The oil and gas boom did not only impact the UAE but also other neighboring countries. However, what distinguished the UAE was a forward-thinking strategy that developed a whole city with business-friendly options and a proper system to provide facilities to expatriates. The UAE economy grew quickly as a result of the oil boom, sparking extensive infrastructural development. This created a high demand for labour, especially in the construction and associated industries. Major construction projects such as buildings, roads, and ports required a sizable labor force in Dubai and other regions of the UAE. To meet this demand, cheap labour was mostly recruited from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Many Pakistani labourers were drawn to this opportunity in search of better employment prospects and higher pay than they could receive at home.
Greener pastures
“There cannot be one factor as to why Pakistanis move to Dubai specifically, but the ideology to provide a business-friendly environment and a system designed to facilitate foreigners to come and work here are major factors for sure,” believes Dubai-based real estate sales director Wakarr Rahiem. He has been living in Dubai since 2007 and started off as an office boy cleaning tables and serving tea.
To boost its developing economy, the UAE government put policies in place to draw in international workers. This includes comparatively lenient immigration laws for South Asian labourers. “If I am not wrong it was 1984 when my father was recruited by a construction company in Saudi Arabia and was given visa accommodation along with 1500 riyals a month which was enough for him to send remittances back home in those times,” recalls Arsalan Siddiqui. His father spent eight years in the neighbouring kingdom but later shifted to Dubai, allowing the family back in Pakistan to upgrade their living standards. “When a few of his friends moved to Dubai for better money and living standards he also switched and found better work opportunities, because with his employer in the KSA he had to work more hours. The working environment in Dubai was better, even in the 90’s,” Siddiqui, whose father died three years back, shares.
As Dubai started to move away from the oil industry in the 80’s and 90’s into industries like trade, tourism, and banking, there was a continued need for workers. Opportunities were generated by this diversification for experts across a range of industries as well as for workers. Migration was made simpler by the construction of better flight connections between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates as well as improved transportation linkages. “The conditions of weather and in other aspects maybe the same but the ease that was given in terms of visas and flights in Dubai is nothing compare to other countries. For example if today I have to go back to Pakistan in an urgent scenario, I have at least eight to ten options a day but with other countries such as Qatar, there are only two flights a day which are much more expensive. So the ease makes it more welcoming for the people who move here, be they part of the business or labour class,” says Wali Khan, who works as a telecom manager in Dubai and also creates content on YouTube about personal finance. Khan has been living in Dubai since 2009, when he relocated from Qatar after living there for a year.
New immigrants found it simpler to adjust and establish themselves in Dubai at this point because there were already well-established Pakistani communities. A sizable labour force from Pakistan was drawn to Dubai by its large-scale projects. “When things started going haywire in 2020 after Covid, there were not many growth options in Pakistan. So many of my friends decided to come to Dubai on a visit visa and find work. I followed them here, selling my car and converting my savings, to start from scratch,” narrates Ghania Asad, who moved to Dubai last year and landed a job within two months. Asad’s idea and only choice was Dubai because all her friends chose the same place. So it made it easy for her on top of the job opportunities and larger market that it offers compared to other destinations.
Pakistani labourers, both skilled and unskilled, were drawn to the UAE due to its status as a major financial and business hub in the Middle East. Pakistani workers and their families have continued to be drawn to the UAE by its modern infrastructure, political stability, and comparatively high standard of living. “The number of Urdu speakers you find here is also a factor that people chose to be here. As soon as you cross immigration on the airport, you can easily communicate in Urdu as everyone is either Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi,” says Khan, adding that in other regional countries not knowing Arabic can make life difficult.
The current migration trend shows that many Pakistanis are moving to Dubai in search of better opportunities for their families and improved living and economic conditions. Dubai remains a popular destination for Pakistani migrants due to the city's robust Pakistani community and favorable economic circumstances.
"The economic opportunities that this city provides come with other aspects as well, such as maintaining a certain lifestyle, traffic on main arteries, crowding in metro trains, and overly crowded public places," says Asad. He added that this is all due to the influx of people in the last few years, causing the city's capacity to erupt. The Gulf countries have long been favoured by Pakistani labourers looking for better job prospects. Dubai stands out among these destinations due to several factors, including economic prospects, quality of life, cultural ease, and ease of integration. "The increasing crowd and traffic is a sign of the prosperity that the city is experiencing. More and more people are settling here to earn, but now another emerging market is KSA. However, worldwide, Dubai has established a name in terms of fashion, logistics, and finance," shares Rahiem.
Economic opportunities
The economy of Dubai is powerful and diverse, providing a wide range of job opportunities in a number of industries, including retail, real estate, banking, and tourism. The city is well-known for its business-friendly atmosphere, with plenty of career opportunities offered by flourishing local enterprises and a large number of international corporations. For Pakistani labourers, Dubai's tax-free income and comparatively high wages are big draws. “It is easier to set up an independent business in Dubai. A friend set up a business here in 15,000 dirhams while the same business was costing him around 25,000 in Saudi,” shares Khan, adding that the customer service was also far better in Dubai and eases the whole experience.
Although there are plenty of business prospects in other nations, their economies rely more heavily on gas and oil. This industry-specific dependency may reduce the variety of employment options accessible to foreign workers. Furthermore, strict localisation policies implemented to cut down on migrant labour may have an impact on Pakistani workers' access to and security of employment. “The simple example here is that when I moved to Qatar for work back in 2014, it took me one month to get a visa while in Dubai it would have been done in a day or two,” says Khan. The city is also income tax free and only has five per cent value added tax while KSA, for instance, has 15 per cent.
Quality of life
Dubai is well known for its first-rate facilities, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and high standard of living. The city offers top-notch recreational opportunities, educational institutions, and healthcare services. The general standard of living is excellent, and the public transport system is effective. It is a desirable location for expatriates to live and work because of its noteworthy features of safety and security. “The city does not only provide working opportunity but also a middle ground in almost all aspects. For example one can find quality education from 6000 dirhams to 120,000 dirhams a year but the quality is not compromised,” the Youtuber explained.
Despite significant infrastructural investments made by Qatar in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup 2022, the country's lifestyle alternatives remain comparatively limited to those offered by Dubai. In a similar vein, nations like Saudi Arabia are just now starting to liberalise which can take time to provide the similar facilities.
Dubai is also renowned for its ethnic and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The city has a sizable expat community from all over the world, which contributes to its multicultural and accepting environment. With a wide range of cultural, recreational, and entertainment alternatives to suit various likes and preferences, this inclusion also extends to social life. New arrivals are also given a sense of familiarity and support by the sizeable Pakistani community in Dubai.
Other Gulf nations, however, have cultural contexts that lean more conservative. For instance, Saudi Arabia has rigid laws and social customs that might be difficult for foreigners to adjust to. Despite being comparatively more liberal than Kuwait and Qatar, Dubai nevertheless has a higher degree of cultural diversity and openness. The social life of the Pakistani expatriate may be impacted by this.
Even though they provide a range of expat support services, other Gulf nations may have limited expat networks and language obstacles. For example, non-Arabic speakers may find it difficult to communicate in social or professional contexts in Saudi Arabia because Arabic is widely used there. Furthermore, Pakistani workers may find assimilation more challenging in certain Gulf countries due to the more traditional and conservative social customs. “When my father went to Saudi Arabia, all the labour class was uneducated and did not know English. He faced difficulty in communicating with his managers who were Saudi and did not know Urdu at all, but his shift to Dubai was helpful as a majority knew Urdu and the communication helped him grow more into his field,” says Siddiqui whose father retired as the manager for the company he worked for.
One of the least talked about aspect from the UAE is the food options that Asians get which are not available in other parts. “You can find [desi] barbeque, haleem, nihari and all kinds of foods with good taste in Dubai while in other parts the variety is limited. This is obviously because of the bigger consumer market but one cannot miss the taste of home while being there,” says Khan.
Although Pakistani workers can find business prospects in all Gulf countries, Dubai is the most sought-after location because of its diverse economy, high standard of living, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and ease of assimilation. In comparison to other Gulf countries, the city offers a more appealing and comfortable living and working environment because of its contemporary infrastructure, cultural richness, and welcoming social atmosphere. Consequently, Dubai remains the first choice for Pakistanis looking for improved employment opportunities and a higher standard of living in the Gulf.