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Middle East and Central Asia > Saudi Arabia

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 10 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
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Cover IMF Working Papers
International Remittances, Migration, and Primary Commodities in FSGM
Stephen Snudden
This paper adds international migration and remittances into the IMF’s Flexible System of Global Models (FSGM). FSGM is a global general equilibrium model with endogenous primary commodity markets. A method to estimate the structural dynamics of major remitter regions is proposed. The dynamics of remittances and migration in FSGM are calibrated to be consistent with the main stylized facts of the empirical estimates. Structural disturbances pertinent to current global remittance flows are examined. These disturbances include disruptions to oil supply, output variation in Europe and the United States, labor nationalization policies in Saudi Arabia, and a global reduction in the cost to remit. The multilateral framework illustrates how remittance inflows need not originate from the region with the underlying economic disturbance but can arise from third party remitter regions affected by global commodity markets. The results also illustrate that the correlation of remittance inflows and the real GDP of labor-exporting economies can be either positively or negatively correlated. The evidence suggests that the behavioral incentive to migrate and remit cannot be deduced from correlations of real GDP and remittance inflows.
Keywords:
WP; real GDP; demand shock; International Migration; Remittances; Macroeconomic Interdependence; Oil Price; remittance dynamics; remittance flow; remittance inflow; oil-importing economy; migration-remittances corridor; remittance outflow; nationalization policy; inflows correlation; Oil prices; Foreign labor; Oil; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Comparing the Employment-Output Elasticities of Expatriates and Nationals in the Gulf Cooperation Council
Mr. Alberto Behar
We estimate the elasticity of private-sector employment to non-oil GDP in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for GCC nationals and expatriates using a Seemingly Unrelated Error Correction (SUREC) model. Our results indicate that the employment response is lower for nationals, who have an estimated short-run elasticity of only 0.15 and a long-run response of 0.7 or less. The elasticity is almost unity for expatriates in the long run and 0.35 in the short run. We interpret low elasticities as indirect evidence of labor market adjustment costs, which could include hiring and firing rigidities, skills mismatches, and reluctance to accept private sector jobs. Forecasts suggest that, absent measures to reduce adjustment costs, the private sector will only be able to absorb a small portion of nationals entering the labor force.
Keywords:
WP; labor market; Employment Elasticities; Labor Market Adjustment Costs; GCC; Gulf Cooperation Council; Inclusive Growth; GCC country; employment growth; GCC employment; GCC labor market structure; employment response; growth forecast; employment elasticity; GCC elasticity; employment projection; employment-growth relationship; employment rigidity; GCC aggregate; Employment; Labor markets; Public employment; Labor force; Public sector; Middle East; Middle East and Central Asia; North Africa; East Africa; Global
Cover Policy Papers
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Labor Market Reforms to Boost Employment and Productivity in the GCC
International Monetary Fund
The GCC growth model has delivered substantial improvements in living standards over several decades. Access to foreign labor has supported rapid growth in the non-oil sector and price stability in the region. It has also resulted in positive spillovers to the migrant-sending countries through large remittance flows. At the same time, governments have increased public-sector employment and have helped raise standards of living. However, the growth model has involved costs: the public-sector wage bill is relatively high, there is limited employment of nationals in the private sector, labor productivity has declined or stagnated, and there is limited progress on economic diversification
Keywords:
PP; GCC country; wage subsidy; public-sector wage bill; labor force; foreign worker; wage restriction; employment quota; crowding out; output gap; subsidies temporary; GCC growth model; Employment; Labor markets; Wages; Foreign labor; Employment subsidies; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Saudi Arabia: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
This chapter reviews developments in GDP over the past several decades. The analysis shows that accumulation of labor and capital explains the bulk of overall output growth since 1990, with changes in total factor productivity playing only a minor role. Moreover, while increases in total factor productivity (TFP) during 1990-2009 have been close to the worldwide average, the pace of TFP growth fell during the 2000s. This suggests scope for increasing the efficiency of factor markets and highlights the importance of recent reforms to promote knowledge-based activity.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; price; TFP growth; oil price; oil GDP; private-sector employment; Dutch disease; Oil prices; Total factor productivity; Employment; Oil; gas and mining taxes; Global; Asia and Pacific; Middle East; business cycle correlation; one-standard error GDP Shock; C. fiscal policy; impulse response; cyclical GDP; D. labor market initiative; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Kuwait: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
This Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix paper on Kuwait focuses on recent development in investment companies (ICs) and the business environment in the country. ICs continue to be vulnerable to swings in financial and real estate markets. They continue to have large exposures to domestic, regional, and international equity and real estate markets. Local banks’ lending to ICs declined in 2010–11 owing to banks’ write-offs of ICs loans. The financial situation of many ICs remains precarious, and there are 15 listed investment companies in a dire situation.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Kuwait; investment company; asset; investment companies operations; price elasticity; employment elasticity; management practice; ICs' assets; Labor force; Fuel prices; Consumption; Energy prices; Price elasticity; Global; Middle East
Cover IMF Working Papers
Remittances in Pakistan: Why have they gone up, and why Aren't they coming down?
Ms. Yan M Sun
and
Udo Kock
The flow of workers' remittances to Pakistan has more than quadrupled in the last eight years and it shows no sign of slowing down, despite the economic downturn in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other important host countries for Pakistani workers. This paper analyses the forces that have driven remittance flows to Pakistan in recent years. The main conclusions are: (i) the growth in the inflow of workers' remittances to Pakistan is in large part due to an increase in worker migration; (ii) higher skill levels of migrating workers have helped to boost remittances; (iii) other imporant determinants of remittances to Pakistan are agriculture output and the relative yield on investments in the host and home countries.
Keywords:
WP; remittance; Pakistan; worker; remittances build; Workers Remittances; Migration; remittance pattern; worker migration; home country affect remittance decision; oil import; remittance behavior; remittance theory; Remittances; Outward remittances; Migrant labor; Return on investment; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
United Arab Emirates: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
This Selected Issues paper on the United Arab Emirates highlights the achievements in the diversification of the economy and the developments and outlook of the hydrocarbon sector. The political structure of the Federation gives a great deal of independence to the individual Emirates in pursuing an economic strategy based on their respective comparative advantages. Openness to trade, trade facilitation, and a favorable business environment have enhanced non-oil diversification by stimulating trade and trade-related services.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; U.A.E. economy; GCC equity markets; GCC market; national; GCC country; U.A.E. securities markets; Stock markets; Oil; Oil production; Labor force; Labor markets; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Emerging Strains in GCC Labor Markets
Mr. Ugo Fasano-Filho
and
Rishi Goyal
Unemployment pressures among nationals are emerging in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). 2 At a time when a rapidly growing number of young nationals are entering the labor force and governments are no longer able to act as employers of first and last resort, the non-oil sector continues to rely on expatriate labor to meet its labor requirements in most GCC countries. In this environment, policymakers face the related challenges of addressing unemployment pressures while striking a balance between maintaining a liberal foreign labor policy and a reasonable level of competitiveness of the non-oil sector. Using a matching function framework, this paper examines labor market policies that are likely to expand the ability to hire nationals in the non-oil sector. It finds that an effective labor strategy should focus on strengthening investment in human capital, adopting institutional reforms, and promoting a vibrant non-oil economy.
Keywords:
WP; wage; private sector; GCC country; GCC countries; labor market policies; matching function framework; unemployment rate; reservation wage; wage bill; wage expectation; Labor markets; Wages; Employment; Labor force; Unemployment; Europe; Asia and Pacific
Cover GCC Countries
GCC Countries
From Oil Dependence to Diversification
Mr. Zubair Iqbal
and
Mr. Ugo Fasano-Filho

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the unprecedented economic and social transformation witnessed by the member countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)-Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates-over the last three decades.

Keywords:
MISC PUBS; Misc.; GCC country; GCC; country; state enterprise; government; GCC economy; GCC population; GCC countries' effort; GCC area; state enterprise reform; GCC member states; GCC workforce; Labor force; Employment; Privatization; Labor markets; Stock markets; Global
Cover Financial Systems and Labor Markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
Financial Systems and Labor Markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This volume comprises two separate papers on key structural aspects of the reform process in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The first paper addresses issues related to financial intermediation and reform in the context of the evolving economic environment in the GCC countries. The second discusses the labor market challenges and policy issues in the GCC countries and their implications for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Keywords:
BOOK; GCC country; country; GCC; policy; labor market issue; national; reform measure; GCC policymaker; GCC national; Labor markets; Employment; Labor force; Stock markets; East Asia; Asia and Pacific; Middle East; South Asia; Global; Foreign labor