Saudi Arabia
Key Statistics
Data are 2024 UN data and may differ from national statistics agencies.
13684000
Immigrant Population
40.3%
Immigrant Share of Total Population
237000
Emigrant Population
All Content
Showing 1–10 of 16 results
As the Gulf Region Seeks a Pivot, Reforms to Its Oft-Criticized Immigration Policies Remain a Work in Progress
Gulf Cooperation Council states are reforming the kafala system and opening residency paths for wealthy and skilled migrants, but low-wage workers remain largely excluded.
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States
U.S. immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa are among the most educated of any foreign-born group. Heavy reliance on humanitarian visas reflect the region's ongoing instability.
The State of Global Mobility in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 shut down global mobility during the first year of the pandemic. But 2022 saw a rapid rebound. This IOM-MPI report reveals shifting patterns post-pandemic, from Gulf labor flows to climate-driven displacement.
Diverging Paths: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in the Middle East and North Africa
COVID-19 sharpened divides in the MENA region: The mass departure of migrant workers allowed high-income Gulf states to pursue labor reforms, while North Africa and Lebanon faced compounding crises.
Aging Societies Rely on Immigrant Health-Care Workers, Posing Challenges for Origin Countries
A global health-worker shortage is pushing wealthy nations to recruit abroad, depleting health systems in the Global South and raising questions about sustainability and equity.
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States
U.S. immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa tend to be highly educated but face high poverty rates and rely heavily on humanitarian and diversity visa pathways.
COVID-19 Pandemic Profoundly Affects Bangladeshi Workers Abroad with Consequences for Origin Communities
The 4.2 million Bangladeshi workers in the Gulf—and the families who depend on them—faced severe hardship as COVID-19 triggered mass job loss, deportations, and falling remittances.
A Tightening Grip Abroad: Authoritarian Regimes Target Their Emigrant and Diaspora Communities
Authoritarian governments increasingly use surveillance, extradition, and violence to suppress the dissent of their diasporas abroad.
Intensifying Focus on Migrant Returns Takes a More Global Stage
In 2018, migrant returns moved to the global stage, with multiple countries pushing contested repatriations that often returned people to harm.
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States
Nearly 1.2 million immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa lived in the United States in 2016.
