MigrantoMigration trends in Saudi Arabia
Middle East
Saudi Arabia takes in more people than it loses: 13.4M immigrants against 236.7K emigrants. Net balance +13.2M — 37% of the country's population
35.3M
Population
13.4M
Immigrants
236.7K
Emigrants
+13.2M
Inflow
1 in 3 residents of Saudi Arabia was born abroad — and 1 in 150 people born in Saudi Arabia lives abroad
#3 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Saudi Arabia
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
4M immigrants · 73.6K emigrants
1995
- India overtook Egypt as the largest source of new arrivals
2000
- Libya replaced Palestine as the main destination for those leaving
- The diaspora passed 100K people
2005
- Surge of immigrants from Palestine — 255.9K new arrivals
- The foreign-born population passed 5M residents
2010
- Migration accounted for 61% of the country's population growth
2015
- Bangladesh overtook India as the largest source of new arrivals
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 52%
- Surge of immigrants from Bangladesh — 1.1M new arrivals
- Surge of immigrants from Nepal — 207.1K new arrivals
2020
- Turkey replaced Libya as the main destination for those leaving
Today
- Since 1990: 9.4M more foreign-born residents and 163.1K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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