MigrantoMigration trends in Kuwait
Middle East
Kuwait takes in more people than it loses: 3.2M immigrants against 167.9K emigrants. Net balance +3M — 62% of the country's population
4.9M
Population
3.2M
Immigrants
167.9K
Emigrants
+3M
Inflow
1 in 2 residents of Kuwait was born abroad — and 1 in 30 people born in Kuwait lives abroad
#20 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Kuwait
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
1M immigrants · 64.2K emigrants
1995
- UAE replaced Palestine as the main destination for those leaving
2000
- Migration accounted for 62% of the country's population growth
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
2010
- Migration accounted for 68% of the country's population growth
- The diaspora passed 100K people
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 42%
- Surge of immigrants from Egypt — 185.1K new arrivals
2020
- Entered the world's 20 biggest immigrant destinations
Today
- Migration accounted for 56% of the country's population growth
- Since 1990: 2.2M more foreign-born residents and 103.6K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Kuwait
See the full country overview