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The sponsorship system and infringements of the rights of foreign workers in the Gulf countries

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Abstract

Previous research on foreign workers in the oil-rich Gulf countries indicates that the origins of some of the major problems encountered by these workers are found in the labor and residence laws and regulations. An initial investigation revealed that exploitation of foreign workers is facilitated by the powers granted to the employer by the sponsorship system. Data used in this research were obtained from available information about foreign workers in Saudi Arabia. Results obtained here confirm that unscrupulous employers abuse the sponsorship system to deprive their foreign employees of their rights. A number of measures to remedy this situation are recommended.

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Atiyyah, H.S. The sponsorship system and infringements of the rights of foreign workers in the Gulf countries. Employ Respons Rights J 3, 267–276 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01384933

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