Migrant worker policies and the spillover effects on educational outcomes and employment aspirations of national children in the Gulf

This paper examines the socio-economic and socio-demographic profile of foreign-born children in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to understand their influence on current educational and future employment outcomes of national children. The study uses country level population data and aggregate level student performance data from Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) for selected GCC countries. The findings show that foreign-born students outperform national students in reading, science and mathematics scores and in completion of tertiary education. The Gulf countries would benefit by providing opportunities for the two groups to integrate and assimilate through schooling with ability-based placement of both types of students.