Sharp decline in labourer recruitment in Dubai

Thursday, 11 February 2010 7:19 AM

NO JOBS: Less labourers from India and Pakistan are coming to work in Dubai construction. (Getty Images)

The number of construction workers arriving in Dubai has practically ground to a halt in the last few months, a Dubai-based company which specialises in recruiting workers from India and Pakistan has told Arabian Business.

A spokesperson from the Dhoria International Job Centre said the company was recruiting between 200 and 400 workers a month last year, but in the last four months it had only recruited a total of four workers.

“It has gone from 50 to 100 a week to one a month,” the spokesperson said.

Dhoria International Job Centre has been recruiting construction workers to the Middle East for over 30 years, has been involved in projects such as Dubai Festival City, SkiDubai and Dubai International Airport and has worked with companies such as Al Habtoor, Arabtec, Balfour Beatty and Laing O'Rourke.

It focuses mainly on recruiting from India and Pakistan and workers are charged three months salary upfront before they fly to the emirates.

The standard length of contracts is three years. While most workers usually stay in Dubai for the full three years, some were now being sent home early due to the slowdown in the Dubai construction market.

The spokesperson reported that last year the company recruited 300 workers for one well-known Dubai construction firm, who he declined to name, and 200 of them have already been sent home.

While the emirate may be seeing a drop off in recruitment, the company is seeing an increase in demand for workers in Saudi Arabia and it has been contracted by a large Saudi construction company to recruit 1,500 workers for a project due to start in six weeks.

As a result, the company is currently in the process of setting up an office in Jeddah.

Join the Discussion

Disclaimer:The view expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by Arabian Business, its employees, sponsors or its advertisers.

Please post responsibly. Commenter Rules

Read All 6 Comments

Posted by: Chowdry Thursday, 11 November 2010 12:01 PM[UAE] - Pakistan

I think its not illegal or anything wrong in it...Company charge for 3months in front becuase company pay from that money for all the expenses of employee visa, Communication and mainly also get the ticket for the employee to fly from pakistan to dubai.

Reply to this comment.

Posted by: jaan Saturday, 13 February 2010 9:25 AM[UAE] - UAE

Im not being so mean..but is this good news for local people in dubai? atleast, you will get a job now.. you're always, irritated with Expats right? (ok..not all..) you're always telling expat(s) to leave your country..so there..now you can have this labourer's work now..

Reply to this comment.

Posted by: Thameez Thursday, 11 February 2010 12:13 PM[UAE] - UAE

How come none of the Officials have denied this message? Because "nothing" affects Dubai isn't it?

Reply to this comment.

Posted by: Arsalan Thursday, 11 February 2010 11:31 AM[UAE]

Charge the workers 3 months salaries upfront ! Why dont the companies that are hiring pay the recruitment charges. And they are contracted for 3 years, so they might calculate and feel justified paying 3 months as charges, but if they are sent back after a year which is obviously out of the recruitment company's control, 25 % of their total income is washed out. Are they compensated in some way ? While i think quite a few of them would be paying upfront charges by loans that further decreases their net income.

Reply to this comment.

Posted by: paul Thursday, 11 February 2010 9:28 AM[UAE] - Dubai

Isn't it illegal to charge a worker an upfront fee to be placed in employment with a recruitment company?? It is illegal even if the fee is charged while the applicant is outside of the U.A.E

Reply to this comment.

Read All 6 Comments

Log in Not registered? Register now!

Retrieve password form

Services:

Related:

Stories

Also in Construction

Also in UAE

Join the Discussion

Further reading

Features & Analysis

Most Popular

Most Discussed