MigrantoImmigrants in Qatar
2.3M foreign-born residents — the #31 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 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
Asia is the leading region of origin at 83%
1.9M
236.2K
136.7K
8.8K
4.5K
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Qatar.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
86% of the population growth of Qatar since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
A significant share of residents were born abroad
1 in 1 residents of Qatar is foreign-born — 2.3M out of 2.9M, representing 80.6% of the population.
Sri Lanka is the fastest-growing major source
Immigration from Sri Lanka has increased by 139% since 2015, rising from 67.8K to 161.7K in 9 years.
India is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
India accounts for 32% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 12%.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 212385 |
| 1995 | 300990 |
| 2000 | 426969 |
| 2005 | 621819 |
| 2010 | 1360830 |
| 2015 | 2049575 |
| 2020 | 2149399 |
| 2024 | 2302083 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | India | Bangladesh | Nepal | Pakistan | Egypt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Qatar as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Qatar
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Qatar?
Around 2.3M foreign-born residents live in Qatar, making it the #31-largest immigrant population in the world.
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 foreign-born residents.
What share 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.
How has immigration to Qatar changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Qatar has grown from 2M to 2.3M people, a growth of about 12%.
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