Wage Protection Systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A regional analysis

This report, developed by the ILO in close collaboration with the GCC Executive Bureau, addresses a critical knowledge gap concerning the design and operation of Wage Protection Systems (WPS) in GCC countries. Drawing on public documentation and feedback from GCC government focal points (including insights from a joint workshop in February 2024), the report offers a critical analysis of existing WPS frameworks. It provides valuable insights and advances key recommendations for policymakers and practitioners to strengthen WPSs. These recommendations focus on four areas: extending coverage to all vulnerable workers (including mandatory inclusion for domestic workers), capturing high-quality data, improving the detection of wage violations, and linking violations to robust enforcement and compensation mechanisms.