Dubai’s Crackdown on Crowded Homes Leaves Migrants Stranded
Migrant workers face eviction as Dubai targets unsafe housing.
In Dubai, a city famed for its glittering skyscrapers, low-wage migrant workers like Hesham, a 44-year-old Egyptian salesman, are struggling to find a place to live. Hesham resides in a modified closet within a partitioned two-bedroom apartment shared with nine others, paying $270 a month. But a recent government crackdown on illegal subletting, prompted by fire safety concerns after a June high-rise blaze, has left him and countless others facing eviction.
The campaign targets overcrowded rentals, including bunk-bed-lined rooms and apartments divided by plywood and shower curtains, housing up to 20 people in spaces meant for far fewer. Dubai Municipality says the inspections aim to ensure public safety, but the crackdown has left many low-paid workers, earning $300–$550 monthly, with nowhere to go in a city where begging is illegal and average one-bedroom rents reach $1,400.
Hesham, speaking anonymously to avoid authorities, said, “We don’t have any other choice.” Similarly, Ebony, a 28-year-old Ghanaian worker, was evicted from a partitioned flat and now shares a room with up to 20 others. “I don’t know what they want us to do,” she said. Hassan, a 24-year-old Ugandan security guard, shares a bed in a hidden partitioned unit, fearing sudden eviction.
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Dubai’s population of 3.9 million, projected to hit 5.8 million by 2040, relies heavily on migrant workers from Africa and Asia for low-wage jobs like construction and cleaning. While Emirati citizens receive housing aid, foreign workers, who outnumber locals 9 to 1, often live in unregulated, informal setups. Large employers must provide housing for workers earning under $400 monthly, but many migrants work informally, making regulation difficult, says Steffen Hertog of the London School of Economics.
Past fires, including a 2023 blaze in Deira that killed 16, highlight the risks of overcrowded housing. The recent Marina fire, evacuating over 3,800 residents, underscored the issue, with some apartments housing seven people on average. As rents soar—up 18% for short-term rentals in 2025—migrant workers face a deepening housing crisis with no clear solution.
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