From South Asia to the United Arab Emirates with hope: The subjective well-being of blue-collar migrant workers revisited

Abstract

This study examines the relationships between a comprehensive set of variables and subjective well-being among a representative sample of 2554 male blue-collar migrant workers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The results of multilevel modelling show that mental health, sense of safety and security, job satisfaction, housing and living environment, and institutional trust are among the key predictors of the subjective well-being of blue-collar migrant workers. Contradictory to the adverse effects of income inequality on well-being and the shift of frames of reference, evidence indicates that blue-collar migrant workers in Abu Dhabi engage in limited social comparison and that the structures of work and daily life matter strongly for this group of workers of low socioeconomic status.