MigrantoImmigrants in the UAE
7.9M foreign-born residents — the #9 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 66% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| India | 3248545 |
| Bangladesh | 1024949 |
| Pakistan | 932356 |
| Egypt | 841883 |
| Philippines | 528527 |
| Indonesia | 298351 |
| Yemen | 192423 |
| Jordan | 158125 |
| Sudan | 124677 |
| Sri Lanka | 112759 |
| Kuwait | 63192 |
| Palestine | 54566 |
| Syria | 49529 |
| Lebanon | 39223 |
| Turkey | 35736 |
| United Kingdom | 27318 |
| Nepal | 26097 |
| Eritrea | 18093 |
| France | 16977 |
| South Sudan | 14900 |
| Nigeria | 14690 |
| USA | 14618 |
| Thailand | 11996 |
| Ethiopia | 10340 |
| Somalia | 9109 |
| Morocco | 8368 |
| Afghanistan | 7665 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6157 |
| Tunisia | 5497 |
| Chad | 5007 |
| Netherlands | 2953 |
| Qatar | 2500 |
| Bahrain | 1870 |
By region of origin
Asia is the leading region of origin at 78%
6.2M
1.1M
603.3K
47.2K
14.6K
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in the UAE.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
73% of the population growth of the UAE 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 the UAE is foreign-born — 7.9M out of 11M, representing 72.0% of the population.
India is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
India accounts for 41% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 13%.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1283343 |
| 1995 | 1753508 |
| 2000 | 2306805 |
| 2005 | 3122725 |
| 2010 | 5280438 |
| 2015 | 6650469 |
| 2020 | 6965576 |
| 2024 | 7908996 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | India | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Egypt | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 456794 | 154362 | 158191 | 165437 | 59910 |
| 1995 | 657380 | 216463 | 222210 | 204664 | 90400 |
| 2000 | 888393 | 288689 | 296606 | 254074 | 124993 |
| 2005 | 1262523 | 401200 | 376533 | 335290 | 198805 |
| 2010 | 2168857 | 684306 | 622486 | 562083 | 352872 |
| 2015 | 2731583 | 861853 | 783994 | 707918 | 444426 |
| 2020 | 2861045 | 902689 | 821140 | 741460 | 465483 |
| 2024 | 3248545 | 1024949 | 932356 | 841883 | 528527 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
UAE as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in the UAE
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in the UAE?
Around 7.9M foreign-born residents live in the UAE, making it the #9-largest immigrant population in the world.
Where do most immigrants in the UAE come from?
Most immigrants in the UAE come from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan — these three countries account for about 66% of all foreign-born residents.
What share of the population of the UAE are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 72% of the population of the UAE — that's 7.9M out of a total population of 11M.
How has immigration to the UAE changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in the UAE has grown from 6.7M to 7.9M people, a growth of about 19%.
Where to live?
Match a country to your priorities
Explore other countries
See where people move around the world