[Kuwait] Expat population dropped by 56,000 in first half of 2021

According to official figures, the number of expatriates in Kuwait dropped by 56,300 in the first six months of 2021, Gulf Business reports.

The latest demographics and labour force statistics issued by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) showed that Kuwait’s total population reached roughly 4.628 million at the end of June 2021, the weekly report from local consultancy AlShall said.

This means that the population decreased semi-annually by 0.9 per cent (1.8 per cent on an annual basis), the report said.

The number of Kuwaitis in the country increased by 13,300 during the first half of the year. This indicates an annual growth rate of 1.8 per cent, to reach 1.473 million in total with women (751,600) outnumbering men (721,700).

There was also a slight increase in the percentage of citizens in the total population, from 31.3 per cent at the end of 2020 to 31.8 per cent, the report stated. The number of non-Kuwaitis declined by 56,300, bringing the total to 3.154 million.

Figures also showed that the country’s population decreased by 2.2 per cent in 2020 compared to growth rates of 3.3 per cent in 2020, 2.7 per cent in 2019 and 2 per cent in 2017.

The report said that the Gulf state’s population saw an annual decline of 105,700 for the year 2020.

Figures from PACI, earlier this year, revealed that the number of expat residents in Kuwait fell by 4 per cent in 2020 as roughly 134,000 foreign nationals left the country between January and December 2020.

Data released by the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) in early March revealed 19,995 expats had their work permits cancelled between January 12 and March 7 this year.

Kuwait has seen a drop in expat numbers in 2021 since many were stranded outside the country by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other expats lost their jobs due to the economic slump.

In addition, Kuwait has been aggressively seeking to reduce its expat population as part of efforts to ‘rebalance’ population numbers.

In 2020, Kuwaiti MPs called to replace all expat jobs in the government within one year.

Source: Gulf Business

According to official figures, the number of expatriates in Kuwait dropped by 56,300 in the first six months of 2021, Gulf Business reports.

The latest demographics and labour force statistics issued by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) showed that Kuwait’s total population reached roughly 4.628 million at the end of June 2021, the weekly report from local consultancy AlShall said.

This means that the population decreased semi-annually by 0.9 per cent (1.8 per cent on an annual basis), the report said.

The number of Kuwaitis in the country increased by 13,300 during the first half of the year. This indicates an annual growth rate of 1.8 per cent, to reach 1.473 million in total with women (751,600) outnumbering men (721,700).

There was also a slight increase in the percentage of citizens in the total population, from 31.3 per cent at the end of 2020 to 31.8 per cent, the report stated. The number of non-Kuwaitis declined by 56,300, bringing the total to 3.154 million.

Figures also showed that the country’s population decreased by 2.2 per cent in 2020 compared to growth rates of 3.3 per cent in 2020, 2.7 per cent in 2019 and 2 per cent in 2017.

The report said that the Gulf state’s population saw an annual decline of 105,700 for the year 2020.

Figures from PACI, earlier this year, revealed that the number of expat residents in Kuwait fell by 4 per cent in 2020 as roughly 134,000 foreign nationals left the country between January and December 2020.

Data released by the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) in early March revealed 19,995 expats had their work permits cancelled between January 12 and March 7 this year.

Kuwait has seen a drop in expat numbers in 2021 since many were stranded outside the country by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other expats lost their jobs due to the economic slump.

In addition, Kuwait has been aggressively seeking to reduce its expat population as part of efforts to ‘rebalance’ population numbers.

In 2020, Kuwaiti MPs called to replace all expat jobs in the government within one year.

Source: Gulf Business