Discrepancies in Public and Private Sector Pay in Jordan, Qatar and the UAE

This study examines the challenges the labor market faces in a number of Arab countries with rentier economies - namely, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. One of the major challenges the labor market in these countries faces is the local population's weak involvement in the labor market: the notably low participation of women and the high levels of unemployment, especially in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. This is particularly significant in light of increasing job opportunities in the aforementioned countries that would be capable of resolving the issue of unemployment if these job opportunities were engaging the local workforce.