Kuwait: Residency permits issued for the first time, by nationality group (2011-2024)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Arab countries 51,135 51,526 49,936 44,376 43,118 25,419 30,732 33,503 30,115 11,217 15,925 36,441 23,281 27,322
Non‐Arab Asian countries 174,289 149,163 117,996 152,609 160,576 41,863 43,153 60,347 62,051 17,650 25,071 82,997 58,209 60,640
Non‐Arab African countries 9,980 9,027 6,640 11,235 12,765 706 695 944 733 423 701 957 904 1,538
Europe 2,121 1,914 1,503 1,315 1,110 605 624 711 733 496 852 1,099 930 876
North America 6,769 5,663 3,622 2,632 2,568 1,238 1,152 1,270 1,326 698 1,120 1,575 1,378 1,626
South and Central America 215 198 212 117 80 73 89 96 116 63 125 221 196 188
Australia and Pacific 175 155 145 139 98 62 56 57 57 41 74 69 77 79
Other 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Total 244,686 217,647 180,054 212,424 220,316 69,967 76,501 96,929 95,131 30,588 43,869 123,359 84,975 92,269

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

ANNEXED NOTE

1. Definitions

Processing by CSB of 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: 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, Employment, Legal Document, Residence Conditions, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania