This paper explores the changes that have taken place over the past few decades in the way in which workers are employed in the construction industry. 

The construction sector in the Middle East is dominated by manual laborers who are largely low-skilled migrant workers from Asia and Africa. These workers benefit from opportunities to earn income that offers the chance of improved livelihoods for themselves and their families. However, they also potentially face risks relating to flawed recruitment, late payment of wages, dangerous working and living conditions and may have limited access to effective dispute resolution. Both in the Middle East and other parts of the world, such factors can leave low-skilled construction workers vulnerable to labour exploitation (including forced labour) and impede the efficiency, as well as good reputation, of the construction industry.

As a number of studies have recently dealt with the challenge of eliminating recruitment debt, this paper will focus on two other key issues facing governments, employers and workers in the Middle East - (i) late or non-payment of wages and (ii) accidents at work that could lead to permanent disability or even death.