The Gulf Cooperation Council States (GCC)1

While much of modern international migration is brought about by political factors due to both civil and international wars, the vast extent of international migration following World War II is comprised of labor migration, legal and illegal alike. Although the current global recession led many developed countries, particularly those of the EU, to tighten control over the inflow of migrant workers, in effect, it did not change the trend of the steady increase of international labor migration. By 2010, the number of international migrants worldwide was estimated at 214 million representing 3.1% of the global population compared to 178 million in 2000 (UN, International Migration Stock). Their remittances amounted to $440 billion in 2010 compared to $132 billion in 2000 (IOM, 2012; World Bank, 2011:xi). These figures point to the fact that workers’ remittances not only substantially surpass official global development aid but surpass the GDP of many countries as well. According to World Bank estimates, workers’ remittances will increase to $536 billion in 2013 (ESCWA, 2012:16).