Saudi Arabia: Number of work permits issued by year (private sector) (2000-2016)
| Number of | |
| labour permits | |
| 2000 | 2,439,672 |
| 2001 | 2,369,611 |
| 2002 | 2,663,666 |
| 2003 | 2,563,800 |
| 2004 | 2,716,573 |
| 2005 | 2,359,301 |
| 2006 | 2,541,083 |
| 2007 | 2,963,039 |
| 2008 | 3,598,317 |
| 2009 | 3,222,809 |
| 2010 | 3,345,630 |
| 2011 | 4,088,093 |
| 2012 | 4,811,095 |
| 2013 | 6,874,799 |
| 2014 | 7,524,326 |
| 2015 | 8,524,762 |
| 2016 | 8,254,915 |
Sources: Ministry of Labour
1. Data collection methodology
The issuance of the residency and work permits begins with filing an application with the Ministry of Labor.
After its approval, the Ministry of Labour forwards the application to the Ministry of Interior for the issuance of the residency permit.
2. Institution which provides data
Ministry of Labour, currently Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD) (https://mlsd.gov.sa/en/node)
3. Data availability
Published in Ministry of Labour’s Statistical Yearbooks
MoL’s Yearbooks until 2015 are no longer available on MLSD’s website.
MLSD’s Yearbook for 2016 has the figure of work permits delivered that year, as well as the “open data” section of the Ministry’s website (Arabic only):
https://mlsd.gov.sa/sites/default/files/uploads/v.26%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D9%8A%202016.pdf
https://mlsd.gov.sa/ar/open-data
Last date of access: 4 November 2018.