Kuwait: Holders of article 23 residence permits (studies) by nationality group and sex (2019-2024)

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total
Arab countries 51 19 70 47 25 72 37 27 64 37 19 56 34 17 51 31 18 49
Non‐Arab Asian countries 265 108 373 203 64 267 161 48 209 188 72 260 207 110 317 195 115 310
Non‐Arab African countries 265 66 331 247 71 318 165 48 213 227 57 284 260 62 322 256 58 314
Europe 21 16 37 15 10 25 12 7 19 14 8 22 25 17 42 19 15 34
North America 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
South and Central America 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Australia and Pacific 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 8 2 0 2 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 603 211 814 513 171 684 377 131 508 469 163 632 529 206 735 501 206 707

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/ purposeof 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)
The present figures include permits delivered for the purpose of residing in Kuwait, as a student.

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 

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: 01 July 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, Foreign Population, Education, Legal Document, Residence Conditions, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania