Why Don't Rich Arab Countries Take In Migrants?

Why do millions of Muslim refugees flee to Europe instead of the wealthy Muslim countries of the Persian Gulf? Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates are among the richest countries in the world. They are geographically closer to many of the conflicts driving displacement, share religious and cultural ties with much of the region, and already have some of the largest immigrant populations on Earth. Yet their approach to migration is fundamentally different from Europe’s. In this video, we explore how the Gulf monarchies built economies that depend on millions of foreign workers while maintaining some of the most restrictive citizenship systems in the world. We examine the origins of the Kafala system, the enormous privileges attached to citizenship, allegations of migrant-worker exploitation, and why refugees are treated very differently from temporary labor. We also look at the historical experiences that shaped this approach—from Palestinian displacement and Black September to the Lebanese Civil War, the Arab Spring, and the Syrian refugee crisis. Ultimately, this is about something much bigger than refugees. It is about two radically different models of immigration and belonging: Europe’s attempt to integrate newcomers into society, and the Gulf’s system of allowing foreigners to live and work without necessarily ever becoming part of the nation. And it raises one of the defining questions of the 21st century: how can countries remain open to migration while preserving social cohesion, political stability, and a shared sense of belonging?