ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on labour markets also makes a broad assessment of patterns and trends and indicates the significance. On a broader front, it can be argued that indigenous human capital in oil-rich states is actually deteriorating, despite the increasing educational attainment. The Jordanian labour market has exported a much higher proportion of its work-force abroad than has the Egyptian: about 28 per cent of the Jordanian domestic labour force was abroad in 1975, compared to the figure for Egypt of 4 per cent. The comparable demographic, labour market and social features of countries divided by this criterion have also been noted. The rising costs of inputs in the capital-rich states, together with increasingly conscious efforts to formalise the labour market, backed up, of course, by large disposable public funds, will ensure a minimal level of informal-sector activity in the capital-rich states.
