For millions of foreign workers in the Middle East, the war with Iran has heightened their precarious existence, forcing a stark choice between dangerous but higher-paying jobs in the Gulf and returning to impoverished home countries hit by soaring prices.
A Deadly Toll on Migrant Labor
Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, a 35-year-old Bangladeshi, had worked in Saudi Arabia for 15 years, sending money home to his family in one of the poorest regions of Bangladesh. He had seen his 6-year-old son only once. This year, he planned to return, build a larger house, and spend time with his child. But on March 8, a missile struck his workers' camp, inflicting severe burns that led to his death. He was among more than two dozen foreign workers killed across the Middle East after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran in February.
His widow, Sadia Islam Sarmin, said, "We don't know what we will do next."
Millions at Risk with Little Protection
Migrant workers form the majority of the population in many Gulf Arab states. While Westerners, Arabs, and Indians dominate business and finance, laborers from poor Asian and African countries toil for long hours in extreme heat at oil facilities and construction sites, often with minimal safeguards. The Coalition for Labour Justice for Migrants in the Gulf reports that few had access to bomb shelters, and many were stranded by the conflict. Their count includes at least 24 foreign workers killed in the Gulf and four in Israel, plus eight mariners at sea.
Udaya Wagle, who studies labor and migration at Northern Arizona University, described the situation as "very precarious for migrant workers."
Economic Fallout and Stalled Ceasefire
A ceasefire was announced in early April, but negotiations to end the war have repeatedly stalled. Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and gas, demanding an end to the war and the lifting of the U.S. blockade. This has driven up prices for gas, fertilizer, and other goods, hitting Asian countries particularly hard.
Remittances from the Gulf account for about 1% of India's GDP, 3% to 5% of GDP in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and nearly 10% in Nepal. These funds are now more vital than ever as household incomes are strained and governments seek foreign currency for oil and gas. Gulf economies also face a bleak outlook, with exports blocked and energy facilities damaged by missile strikes. The fighting could resume as Iran rejects U.S. President Donald Trump's demands.
Low-Wage Laborers Most Vulnerable
Mamun's family learned of his injury on March 9 through phone calls. Video footage showed him sitting in the open, badly burned and bleeding, crying for help. His brother Maruf Hasain said, "He never imagined he would be hurt. That a missile would fall on him."
Shariful Islam Hasan of BRAC noted that workers like Mamun perform the "most dirty, dangerous and difficult" jobs, making them the most vulnerable. In Qatar, a 27-year-old Bangladeshi factory worker endured 12-hour shifts as missiles flew overhead. Shrapnel from one strike fell near his living quarters. Earning less than $400 monthly, he sends two-thirds home. "We have no choice but to keep working," he said on condition of anonymity.
Qatar enacted reforms before the 2022 World Cup, including partially dismantling the kafala system that tied workers to employers. However, activists say abuses remain widespread and workers have few avenues for justice.
Ahmed al-Aliyli, a taxi driver in Qatar, has not sent money to his family in Egypt for two months. His income has plunged from $3,000 a month to a third of that due to war-related travel disruptions. "We are the collateral damage of this war," he said.
Hasan warned that a slowdown in real estate and construction will hit migrant workers directly. Workers from Bangladesh and Pakistan are especially vulnerable due to informal employment without fixed contracts. The labor coalition noted that work permits are often tied to a single employer, and some workers are effectively stranded. It warned that employers might use the conflict to withhold wages, deny leave, or carry out arbitrary dismissals.
Going Home Is Not an Option for Many
When the war began, Mamun's mother, Shahida Khatun, urged him to return. He had been saving since November and promised to pay for his siblings' education, build a larger house for his parents, and return for good this spring. Now, his family struggles to recover his wages and rebuild their lives. "The pain of losing a child. There are no words to describe the agony," Khatun said.
For many workers, going home means losing a steady income and much higher wages. Marlene Flores, a Filipina worker in Qatar, said she felt the shudder each time a missile was intercepted, but the tax-free pay and health insurance made it feel safer than the Philippines, which has declared a national energy emergency. "It's not easy for me to say," she admitted, "But I would really stay here."
Israel also hosts a large foreign worker population. Filipino caregiver Jeremiah Supan continued caring for his two elderly charges despite near-daily missile alerts, sometimes dashing out for food or medicine. He questions whether his family could survive if he returns to the Philippines. "I know that in the blink of an eye, one can die," he said. "But what life shall we return to?"
