Kuwait: Permit holders by group of countries of origin (2011-2022)

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Arab countries 722,575 750,426 802,213 837,363 877,959 898,660 916,169 952,261 978,375 931,092 881,211 943,530
Non‐Arab Asian countries 1,338,340 1,391,040 1,458,161 1,525,083 1,620,129 1,714,717 1,775,919 1,849,050 1,871,676 1,682,815 1,502,222 1,784,170
Non‐Arab African countries 73,403 83,144 93,004 73,300 61,070 49,634 47,254 53,778 44,639 35,092 26,866 30,705
Europe 10,216 10,554 10,921 11,443 12,081 12,482 13,565 13,726 13,300 11,748 10,854 11,398
North America 19,191 19,311 18,244 18,297 18,403 18,860 19,079 19,223 18,718 17,270 16,173 17,096
South and Central America 1,121 1,131 1,109 1,104 1,179 1,343 1,499 1,746 1,861 1,692 1,590 1,844
Australia and Pacific 1,416 1,408 1,426 1,419 1,452 1,495 1,467 1,469 1,419 1,322 1,206 1,155
Other 13 13 11 9 3 4 3 2 1 1 2 1
Total 2,166,275 2,257,027 2,385,089 2,468,018 2,592,276 2,697,195 2,774,955 2,891,255 2,929,989 2,681,032 2,440,124 2,789,899

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: all the non-national residents holding a residence permit on December 31st, the given year, EXCEPT the holders of permit n°14 (temporary residents).

 

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: as family dependent (permit n°22); for the purpose of studying (n°23) and for self-residence (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.

Holders of permit n°14 (temporary residents) are not included in the figures.

 

  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, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania