mIgrAtIon AnD DeveLoPment In egyPt 85
South-East Asia, the share of labourers declined from 43 per cent in 1985 to
26.2 per cent of all registered emigrants in 2005. Scientists and technicians,
who represented 20.4 per cent of the migrant contracts in 1985, made up 40.2
per cent and 39 per cent in 1990 and 2002 respectively and then decreased
sharply in 2005 to 21.3 per cent – mainly due to the fact that Egyptians going
to Jordan were now required to have a contract before working there. Most
of the Egyptian migrants to Jordan were unskilled labourers who worked
in agriculture or in the informal sector of the Jordanian economy.
Table 2.9 Educational status of return migrants (from Europe) and non-migrants,
Egypt 2006 (%)
EducationMigration status
Non-migrants Return migrants To t a l
no education 10.6 5.5 9.0
Primary/preparatory 14.1 11. 6 13. 3
Secondary (general) 13. 5 8 .1 11. 8
Secondary (tech.) 39.6 48.3 42.3
University+ 22.2 26.5 23.6
tot al 100.0 100.0 100.0
total number 491 1,0 61 1, 552Source: Zohry (2006)
Table 2.10 Distribution of Egyptians’ contracts to work in Arab countries by
occupation, 1985–2005 (%)
Occupation 1985 1990 2002 2005*
Scientists and technicians 20.4 40.2 39.0 21. 3
managers 0.3 0.3 2.4 0.1
Clerical workers 8.8 8.0 1. 5 2.4
Sales and services 18. 5 17. 3 12 .7 9.0
Agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing 8.9 5.3 8.6 40.9
Production workers 43.0 28.9 35.8 26.2
tot al 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0note: * From 1 July 2004 to 30 July 2005
Source: ministry of manpower and emigration (2005)