Western Union survey highlights GCC's attraction for expats

The world’s leading money transfer company Western Union has released a survey of customers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that reveals some interesting insights into the lives of GCC expatriates and the reasons behind their attraction to living in the region; 60 percent of expats responding to the Western Union survey said the GCC region provides a sense of safety and security, which was cited as the top reason people move into the region.

Another 52 percent said their reason for living in the GCC was the presence of an extensive network of friends, while 49 percent said the comfortable lifestyle was also a factor.

The survey was a part of Western Union’s "My Yellow Brick Road" campaign, which was intended to elicit personal stories of individuals from different countries who have decided to make a life for themselves in another nation.

Respondents were asked to share their thoughts and experiences on life in the GCC region. The average age of the respondents was 30 years, and most had lived in their adopted country for more than five years.

Of the five hundred respondents who took part in the survey, the majority were living in Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- 30 and 29 percent respectively. Another 15 percent were living in Kuwait, with 10 percent in Qatar. Oman’s respondents represented nine percent, and Bahrain’s expats made up the last six percent.