Kuwait: Holders of article 22 residence permits (family reunion) by nationality group and sex (2019-2022)

  2019 2020 2021 2022
  Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total
Arab countries 130,873 208,720 339,593 128,923 203,358 332,281 124,092 193,578 317,670 128,970 203,646 332,616
Non‐Arab Asian countries 63,436 120,943 184,379 61,564 114,795 176,359 59,386 106,171 165,557 61,334 109,909 171,243
Non‐Arab African countries 604 1,350 1,954 559 1,260 1,819 583 1,154 1,737 633 1,278 1,911
Europe 1,804 3,301 5,105 1,688 3,056 4,744 1,629 2,894 4,523 1,704 2,968 4,672
North America 4,111 5,091 9,202 4,048 4,916 8,964 3,967 4,689 8,656 3,970 4,812 8,782
South and Central America 288 580 868 275 518 793 268 469 737 297 521 818
Australia and Pacific 299 429 728 282 416 698 273 384 657 256 356 612
Other 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 201,415 340,415 541,830 197,339 328,320 525,659 190,198 309,339 499,537 197,164 323,490 520,654

Source: Central Statistical Bureau, Migration Statistics Bulletin, given years.

 

ANNEXED NOTE

 

  1. Definitions

 

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.

Data presented in the table are stock data: non-national residents holding a residence permit on December 31st, the given year (residencies delivered for the first time a given year+residencies renewed that year).

Residencies are valid for 1 to 5 years.

The present figures include permits delivered for the purpose of residing in Kuwait, as a worker’s family member.

Spouse, children or elderly dependent relatives can join holder of visas n°17 and 18 (the sponsor) in Kuwait, if the expatriate has obtained a residency and meets the salary requirements.

A working wife cannot sponsor her husband as a dependent. Sons over the age of 21 years cannot be sponsored as dependents, though adult daughters and parents may be permitted. Dependent family members are not allowed to work on a Dependent Visa.

Every foreign resident including new-born babies must hold a residency permit.

 

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.

 

Permits 17, 18, 19 and 20 are only granted after Ministry of Labour issues a work permit.

 

  1. Institution which provides data 

 

Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), Ministry of Planning.

 

  1. Period of data coverage

 

December 31st, given years.

 

  1. 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: April 2023.

 

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, Foreign Population, Employment, Legal Document, Residence Conditions, Family Reunification, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania