Kuwait: Cumulated numbers of contravenors to the law on residency in section 20 (domestic workers), by nationality group (2015-2025)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Arab countries | 103 | 148 | 156 | 139 | 161 | 152 | 212 | 219 | 235 | 104 | 90 |
| Non‐Arab Asian countries | 47,900 | 49,078 | 48,166 | 35,490 | 41,535 | 42,381 | 55,314 | 50,130 | 47,955 | 30,163 | 29,044 |
| Non‐Arab African countries | 11,947 | 11,402 | 10,807 | 11,200 | 14,400 | 15,702 | 18,081 | 15,608 | 12,567 | 8,706 | 7,477 |
| Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North America | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| South and Central America | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Australia and Pacific | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 59,953 | 60,632 | 59,133 | 46,833 | 56,100 | 58,239 | 73,612 | 65,961 | 60,761 | 38,976 | 36,614 |
Source: Central Statistical Bureau, Migration Statistics Bulletin, given years.
ANNEXED NOTE
1. Definitions
These are stock data.
The figures refer to the cumulated numbers of foreign residents contravening the law on residency, present in Kuwait since the year 1992 until the 31st of December of each year.
CSB reprocessed data from Ministry of Interior’s (Directorate of Migration’s) annual records of residency permits granted to foreign residents by type/ purpose of permit,
sex and regional origin of holder.
The present figures include permits delivered for all purposes of stay in Kuwait:
1- Labour in all sectors: governmental (n°17); private sector (n°18); business (n°19) and domestic (n°20) sectors
2- Residence: temporary residence (n°14); as family dependent (permit n°22); for the purpose of studying (n°23) and for self-sponsorship (n°24).
Residency procedures do not apply to GCC nationals and to Bidouns (stateless residents of Kuwait).
The table thus excludes the Bidouns, the non-Kuwaiti GCC citizens and those in irregular situation.
2. Institution which provides data
Migration Department, Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), Ministry of Planning.
3. Period of data coverage
December 31st, given years.
4. Data availability
The present data is taken from the “Migration Statistics” reports, published annually by the CSB.
The report (in Arabic and English, PDF format with Excel tables) is available on CSB’s website (Population Statistics, then Migration Statistics)
https://www.csb.gov.kw/Pages/Statistics_en?ID=56&ParentCatID=1
https://www.csb.gov.kw/Pages/Statistics?ID=56&ParentCatID=1
Date of access: 20 August 2026
GLMM and GRC cannot guarantee that the link to access the source will not change;
that the information will not be removed from the website it was obtained from;
that no geo-blockages will be imposed; or that the information will not be available for any another reason.
Keywords: Kuwait, Irregular Migration, Legal Document, Residence Conditions, Foreign Population, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania