many poor households in the mdes are kept afloat financially thanks to transfers from relatives and friends working abroad worker remittances also make an important contribution to the balance of payments of these countries especially jordan lebanon the syrian arab republic and yemen see tables and emigration to the gcc where incomes can be five times higher than in their home countries has been facilitated by the common language shared across the region although the inflow of migrant workers can increase the flexibility of gcc labour markets it is insufficient to resolve unemployment problems in the labourexporting mdes