Prices for rental premises and healthcare services in the Persian Gulf region will grow rapidly this year, which will cause a powerful wave of migration to the most prosperous cities in the region, such as the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha (Qatar). The main impetus for increased migration will be the opening of a common Gulf market, scheduled for early 2008, experts predict. The need for a change of residence will affect not only expatriates: a good part of the migrants will be citizens of the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Vassim Mina, professor of economics at the University of the United Arab Emirates, also confirmed forecasts of the inevitability of population migration to the most developed cities in the region. “People will strive for better earnings that they can’t find in their homeland to make ends meet and be able to pay for everything they need. Therefore, we expect citizens of developed countries such as Saudi Arabia to migrate to the Emirates and Qatar, "he said. The result of migration will be not only a significant increase in prices in donor cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha, but also a deterioration in the environmental and transport situation.
