MigrantoImmigrants in Qatar
2.3M foreigners live in Qatar — 81% of the country's population
Immigrants in Qatar by country
The 3 largest groups make up 56% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| India | 736955 |
| Bangladesh | 274697 |
| Nepal | 266580 |
| Pakistan | 247227 |
| Egypt | 192680 |
| Philippines | 178516 |
| Sri Lanka | 161747 |
| Indonesia | 46021 |
| Yemen | 37285 |
| Jordan | 34441 |
| Syria | 25981 |
| Sudan | 24580 |
| UAE | 10034 |
| Lebanon | 8844 |
| United Kingdom | 7210 |
| Kuwait | 6941 |
| Eritrea | 6174 |
| Palestine | 5980 |
| Turkey | 5393 |
| USA | 4532 |
| Nigeria | 4351 |
| Thailand | 2447 |
| South Sudan | 2172 |
| Ethiopia | 1781 |
| Afghanistan | 1679 |
| Morocco | 1535 |
| Somalia | 1327 |
| France | 1133 |
| Tunisia | 1043 |
| Saudi Arabia | 956 |
| Bahrain | 816 |
| Chad | 546 |
| Netherlands | 479 |
By region of origin
83% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Qatar in numbers
Immigration drives population growth
86% of the population growth of Qatar since 1990 came from immigrants.
1 in 1 residents of Qatar was born abroad
2.3M of 2.9M residents were born abroad — 80.6% of the population.
People born in Sri Lanka are the fastest-growing group
The number of people born in Sri Lanka living in Qatar has grown 139% since 2015, from 67.8K to 161.7K.
Indians are the largest group by a wide margin
32% of all immigrants were born in India, while the next group accounts for just 12%.
The share of immigrants from the Middle East has declined since 1990
31% of immigrants came from the Middle East in 1990, compared with 5.9% today.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
5 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Nepal, Pakistan, Egypt. Nepal climbed from outside the top 20 to #3.
Immigrant population in Qatar over time
Foreigners living in Qatar, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 212385 |
| 1995 | 300990 |
| 2000 | 426969 |
| 2005 | 621819 |
| 2010 | 1360830 |
| 2015 | 2049575 |
| 2020 | 2149399 |
| 2024 | 2302083 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Qatar, by year
| Year | Indians | Bangladeshis | Nepalis | Pakistanis | Egyptians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1905 | 25434 | 319 | 232 | 174 |
| 1995 | 2531 | 36748 | 424 | 309 | 231 |
| 2000 | 3381 | 52997 | 567 | 413 | 309 |
| 2005 | 192498 | 75334 | 23536 | 51530 | 48263 |
| 2010 | 523305 | 163856 | 63862 | 140477 | 131631 |
| 2015 | 799493 | 198373 | 187390 | 164972 | 202566 |
| 2020 | 688077 | 256478 | 248899 | 230830 | 179900 |
| 2024 | 736955 | 274697 | 266580 | 247227 | 192680 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Qatar
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Qatar
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Qatar?
Around 2.3M immigrants live in Qatar — the world's #31 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Qatar are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 81% of the population of Qatar — that's 2.3M out of a total population of 2.9M.
Where do most immigrants in Qatar come from?
Most immigrants in Qatar come from India, Bangladesh and Nepal — these three countries account for about 56% of all immigrants.
How many Indians live in Qatar?
Around 737K Indians live in Qatar — about 32% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Qatar growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Qatar has grown from 2M to 2.3M, about 12%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Qatar come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Qatar. Their children born in Qatar are not included.
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Living in Qatar
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