![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Georges-Naufal-Policy-Brief-No.-9-GCC-Remittance-Flows-Final-for-Website-2024-05-02_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Georges-Naufal-Policy-Brief-No.-9-GCC-Remittance-Flows-Final-for-Website-2024-05-02_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-10-Ageing-in-the-Gulf-States-Final-for-Website-2024-05-02_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Ageing in the Gulf States
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Magdalena-Karolak-GLMM-Policy-Brief-No.-8-February-2024_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Long-Term Residence: GCC Countries Making a Shift Toward Inclusive Social Policies
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Froilan-Malit-GLMM-Policy-Brief-No.7-February-2024_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Interregional Consultative Migration Dialogues and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue in the GCC-Asia Migration Corridor
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Areej-Jamal-Strategies-to-Remain-in-the-KSA-GLMM-EN-1-2023-Final_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Aspirations and Strategies to Remain in Saudi Arabia: the Case of Middle-Class South Asians
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Magdalena-Karolak-GLMM-Policy-Brief-No.-5-UAE-Center-of-Innovation-Final-Website-2023-10-19_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
UAE as a Center of Innovation: Towards Attracting Global Talent
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-9-Kuwait-Second-Generation-Final-Website-2024-01-11_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Second and Third Generation Foreign Residents Born in Kuwait
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Georges-Naufal-Policy-Brief-6-The-Power-of-Micro-Level-Data-Final-Website-2023-10-26_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
The Power of Micro-Level Data: Improving Precision in GCC Policy Design
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Onn-Winckler-Numbers-Increasing-Dependency-Decreasing-Final-Website-2024-04-03_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Numbers Increasing, Dependency Decreasing: The GCC Changing Labor Immigration Emphasis
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Sharique-Umar-GLMM-Factsheet-No.-8-September-2023_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
International Mobility of Tertiary-Level Students in Qatar
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Factsheet-7-OK_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Arab Nationals in Saudi Arabia
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Rajan-Balan-Policy-Brief-4-Indians-in-the-Gulf-Final-2023-07-23_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Indians in the Gulf: The Migration Question and the Way Forward
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Major-Innovations-in-the-Saudi-Census-2022-Final-23-07-2023_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Major Innovations in the Saudi Census 2022
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Georges-Naufal-ed.-FD2-2023-07-03_page-0001-1-150x150.jpg)
Migration and Climate Change: The Case of the GCC Countries
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-6-Oil-Price-and-Demographic-Growth-Final-for-Website-2023-05-25-1_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
GCC: Are Oil Prices No Longer a Driver of Population Growth?
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot_2-150x150.png)
Migratory Flows of Russian-speaking Populations to the UAE
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-5-Domestic-Workers-in-the-GCC-Sent-to-Fatemah-830am-2023-03-28_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Domestic Workers in the GCC: A Diverse Population
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-4-pic-150x150.jpg)
Qataris Make Up Only a Quarter of All Births
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Nasra-pic-3-150x150.jpg)
Five Decades of Semi- and Unskilled Labour Migration from Pakistan
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Factsheet-No.-2-Saudi-Arabia-Changes-in-Labour-Force-Structure_-January-2023-Final_page-0001-150x150.jpg)
Saudi Arabia: Changes in Labour Force Structure?
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GLMM-FS1-Imbalance-Final-2022-10.24_pic-new-150x150.jpg)
Explaining the “Demographic Imbalance” in the Gulf States
The 30 million foreign nationals residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region make up approximately 52 percent of the total population in the region. This “demographic imbalance” is the result of large immigration -the region hosted 11 per cent of the world’s total migrant stock in 2019 according to UN estimates- and to the quasi-absence of naturalisation of non-Gulf nationals, which recently has been loosened in some countries for distinct groups of foreign nationals.
Total population and percentage of nationals and non-nationals in GCC countries (mid-2020)
Country | Total population | Nationals | Foreign nationals | % Nationals | % Non-nationals |
Bahrain | 1,472,204 | 713,263 | 758,941 | 48.4 | 51.6 |
Kuwait | 4,816,592 | 1,442,005 | 3,374,587 | 29.9 | 70.1 |
Oman | 4,578,016 | 2,719,500 | 1,858,516 | 59.4 | 40.6 |
Qatar | 2,833,679 | 338,000* | 2,495,679* | 11.8** | 88.2** |
Saudi Arabia | 35,013,414 | 21,430,128 | 13,583,286 | 61.2 | 38.8 |
UAE | 9,282,410 | 1,215,996* | 8,066,414* | 13.1** | 86.9** |
Total | 57,996,315 | 27,858,892* | 30,137,423* | 48.0** | 52.0** |
Source: National Institutes of Statistics and GLMM’s estimates based on data published by National Statistical Institutes. See the original table in GLMM’s database for more details (https://gulfmigration.grc.net/glmm-database/demographic-and-economic-module/).
* GLMM’s estimate, based on data published by National Statistical Institutes (see original table). ** Ratio is calculated based on population estimates (see original table). |
In mid-2020, the population of foreign nationals in the Gulf States ranged from 39% in Saudi Arabia to 88% in Qatar. As a consequence, the ratio of nationals (indigenous citizens) to non-nationals (expatriate workers and their dependents) was skewed in favour of the latter in all Gulf states but two, which some perceive as a “demographic imbalance”. This may explain why the UAE and Qatar do not publish total population figures disaggregated by nationality.
Other regions worldwide, such as the EU or North America, which receive large numbers of immigrants, record migrants as “born abroad.” This suggests the integration of foreign residents within the society of the host states, and in the citizenry for those who are naturalized citizens. By contrast, Gulf states do not conceive themselves as immigration countries and record migrants as non-national, temporary expatriate workers (wafidîn). These have little social and no political membership. Conditions for naturalisations are very restrictive; the birth right does not apply, including for Gulf-born, second- or third generation expatriates.
Thus, the unique socio-demographic structure of Gulf societies stems from the opening of Gulf economies to exceptionally large numbers of foreign labourers since the 1950s, coupled with the quasi-closure of Gulf societies to the socio-political integration and in particular, to the naturalisation of non-Gulf nationals.
Therefore, the current “demographic imbalance” is likely to persist unless the policies regarding naturalisation and/or immigration of temporary labour undergo a significant change. Examples of such policies include avenues for long-term settlement in some countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE) and (limited) naturalization (UAE) for specific, small numbers of foreign nationals.
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Francoise-De-Bel-Air-Research-Report-No.-1-pic2-150x150.jpg)
Measuring the impact of Covid-19 on migrant workers in the GCC and Jordan
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Layers of Segmentation in GCCs Labour Markets: How Well do Migrant Women Fare?
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Reforming the sponsorship system in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Opportunities and challenges as a result of COVID-19 and the fiscal crisis
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Fertility Levels, Trends, and Differentials Among Kuwaiti Nationals
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Fertility of Nationals in Qatar – Its Levels, Trends and Differentials in the Early 21st Century
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Empowering Women and Fostering Fertility: Two Conflicting Policy Goals in Qatar?
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RR261119safar-150x150.png)
Literature Survey and Bibliography on Fertility in Qatar and the GCC
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Fertility in Qatar and in Other GCC States: Some Elements of Comparison
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/RR2019_02-150x150.png)
Working and Living Conditions of Low-Income Migrant Workers in the Hospitality and Construction Sectors in the United Arab Emirates
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RR2019_01-150x150.png)
Working and Living conditions of Low-Income Migrant Workers in the hospitality and construction Sectors in Qatar
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/GLMM_EN_2019_04-150x150.png)
The Legal Framework of the Sponsorship Systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Comparative Examination
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/EN_2019_03-150x150.png)
Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Kuwait
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/EN_2019_02-150x150.png)
Oman’s Legal Framework of Migration
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Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Bahrain
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/EN_2018_07-150x150.png)
Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Oman
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/EN_2018_06-150x150.png)
Kuwait’s Legal Framework of Migration
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/EN_2018_05-150x150.png)
Demography, Migration and Labour Market in Saudi Arabia
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/EN_2018_04.png-150x150.png)
Qatar’s Legal Framework of Migration
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Migration to the Gulf: Policies in Sending and Receiving Countries
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/EN_2018_03-150x150.png)
Saudi Arabia’s Legal Framework of Migration
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/EN_2018_02-150x150.png)
Bahrain’s Legal Framework of Migration
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Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in the UAE
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Possible Impact of Saudi Women Driving on Female Employment and Reliance on Foreign Workers
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Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Qatar
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/GLMM_EN_2017_02-1-150x150.png)
United Arab Emirates’ Legal Framework of Migration
![](https://gulfmigration.grc.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/GLMM_EN_2017_RR01-150x150.png)
Wage Protection Systems and Programmes in the GCC
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Dangers of Using Aggregated Data for Understanding Socio-Demographic Realities of the Gulf Region
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Skilful Survival: Irregular Migration to the Gulf
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Qatar’s Legal Framework of Migration
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Taxing Remittances: Consequences for Migrant Labour Populations in the GCC Countries
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A Note on Syrian Refugees in the Gulf: Attempting to Assess Data and Policies
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The Legal Framework of the Sponsorship Systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: a Comparative Examination
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Addressing Irregular Migration in the Gulf States
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Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Oman
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Oman’s Legal Framework of Migration
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