Where do the 35 million foreigners living in the GCC come from?

EXPLAINER

More than half of the 62 million people in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are foreign workers.

Nearly 62 million people living in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been caught in the crossfire of the latest US-Israel war on Iran.

Known for their economic opportunities, these countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), collectively host nearly 35 million foreign workers from around the world, predominantly from South Asia.

Where do GCC foreign workers come from?

Generations of foreign workers in the GCC countries have significantly contributed to the workforce, including labourers, construction workers, household staff, security personnel, and cleaners, all vital to building the modern infrastructures that Gulf nations are known for.

Millions consider the Gulf their home, despite holding nationalities from other countries.

Additionally, highly skilled foreign workers have a long history in industries such as banking, finance, technology, engineering, aviation, medicine and the media.

According to Global Media Insight, a digital marketing agency based out of the UAE, the 10 largest groups of non-nationals living across the six GCC countries are from:

India: 9.1 million
Bangladesh: 5 million
Pakistan: 4.9 million
Egypt: 3.3 million
Philippines: 2.2 million
Yemen: 2.2 million
Sudan: 1.1 million
Nepal: 1.2 million
Syria: 694,000
Sri Lanka: 650,000

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the largest of the six GCC countries, with a population of nearly 37 million.

riyadh — Aerial view of Riyadh city is seen from Mamlaka tower, a 99-story skyscraper, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [Amr Nabil/AP Photos]

The oil-rich country has a local population of about 20.5 million and an additional 16.4 million foreign residents.

The five largest groups of non-nationals living in Saudi Arabia are people from:

Bangladesh: 2,590,000
India: 2,310,000
Pakistan: 2,230,000
Yemen: 2,210,000
Egypt: 1,800,000
Sudan: 1,000,000

The UAE

The United Arab Emirates has the second-largest population in the GCC, totaling some 11.3 million people.

Dubai skyline is visible with the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, during the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, November 30, 2023 [Kamran Jebreili/ AP Photo]

It consists of seven emirates, including the capital Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.

Emiratis make up nearly 12 percent of the population, with foreigners at almost 88 percent.

The five largest groups of non-nationals living in the UAE are from:

India: 4,360,000
Pakistan: 1,900,000
Bangladesh: 840,000
Philippines: 780,000
Iran: 540,000
Egypt: 480,000

Kuwait

With a population of 4.8 million, Kuwait has the third-largest population in the GCC.

Approximately 1.56 million are Kuwaiti citizens, and 2.16 million are foreign workers.

The five largest groups of non-nationals living in Kuwait are from:

India: 1,000,000
Egypt: 700,000
Bangladesh: 350,000
Philippines: 250,000
Pakistan: 200,000
Nepal: 120,000

Oman

Oman’s population stands at approximately 4.7 million people. Oman’s 2.5 million citizens account for nearly 59 percent of the population, while the remaining 2.05 million (or 41 percent) are foreign workers.

The five largest groups of non-nationals living in Oman are from:

India: 766,735
Bangladesh: 718,856
Pakistan: 268,868
Egypt: 46,970
Philippines: 45,213
Uganda: 20,886

Qatar

Qatar has a population of some 3.2 million people, with 2.87 million foreign workers accounting for about 88 percent of them. Qatari citizens number around 330,000, making up 12 percent.

The five largest groups of non-nationals living in Qatar are from: