UAE, Abu Dhabi: Entry visas issued by purpose of entry (1974-2010)

Year Work Residence Visit Total
1974 41,491 9,035 50,526
1975 46,439 10,700 57,139
1976 42,383 9,273 51,656
1977 77,646 11,146 88,792
1978 132,059 17,198 149,257
1979 112,539 22,395 134,934
1980 105,700 19,091 124,791
1981 122,874 24,081 146,955
1982 147,746 30,426 178,172
1983 115,563 25,278 140,841
1984 86,031 22,205 108,236
1985 141,810 33,934 175,744
1986 142,595 37,427 180,022
1987 140,771 38,655 179,426
1988 143,642 38,135 181,777
1989 105,794 31,631 62,773 200,198
1990 89,485 22,980 33,303 145,768
1991 144,202 37,037 48,531 229,770
1992 123,454 33,264 50,755 207,473
1993 63,840 18,177 37,609 119,626
1994 54,323 15,668 40,784 110,775
1995 80,036 12,063 56,044 148,143
1996 82,992 14,882 53,073 150,947
1997 145,457 19,445 56,751 221,653
1998 149,996 21,993 87,373 259,362
1999 125,711 19,578 93,728 239,017
2000 126,944 24,385 121,162 272,491
2001 100,898 23,646 119,722 244,266
2002 146,228 24,530 116,923 287,681
2003 178,652 25,528 118,301 322,481
2004 201,604 30,228 156,273 388,105
2005 236,456 36,773 152,088 425,317
2006 294,911 41,501 197,362 533,774
2007 434,341 51,141 813,568 1,299,050
2008 677,930 63,031 756,808 1,497,769
2009 585,983 69,663 687,003 1,342,649
2010 535,827 75,744 103,658 715,229

Source: Ministry of Interior

ANNEXED NOTE

1. Characteristics of data, definitions

After finding a job and negotiating a job contract, expats must provide their employer with the official documents needed to start the recruitment procedure.
The entry permit is then issued, which allows the worker/ family dependant to come to Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
For a worker, the delivery of the labour permit is conditional to a medical exam passed after arrival.
The duration of the labour permit is three years.

2. Institution which provides data

Statistics centre of Abu Dhabi (SCAD), Abu Dhabi

3. Data availability

The data only concerns the Abu Dhabi resident population (nationals and foreign residents).
The SCAD provides thematic volumes with time series for various indicators related to development (population, demography, labour, etc.) since 1960. The present series has been published in December 2012.
Data is available under various formats (PDF, Excel, html).
http://www.scad.ae/en/statistics/Pages/Statistics.aspx?ThemeID=7&TopicID=48&SubTopicID=163&PublicationID=315

Date of access: January 2015.