Gulf integration deepens as Kuwaitis dominate real estate investments across the GCC
- Kuwaitis rank first in GCC property ownership with 3,545 properties in the UAE, 2,600 in Bahrain and 2,536 in Saudi Arabia.
- Gulf mobility surges, with 6.6 million Gulf nationals visiting Kuwait in 2024 — an increase of 331.8 percent since 2007.
- Cross-border employment expands, including 2,111 Kuwaitis working in other Gulf states and 6,858 Saudis employed in Kuwait.
- Social security participation rises sharply, with nearly 12,000 Gulf nationals in pension systems and more than 13,000 in social insurance across the region.
- Economic interlinkages strengthen, driven by $146 billion in intra-GCC trade, 96,300 cross-border commercial licenses and widespread Gulf ownership in stock markets.
A new report by the Gulf Statistics Center revealed that Kuwaitis are the top Gulf nationals in property ownership across several GCC countries, highlighting a continued rise in cross-border economic integration.
According to the data, Kuwaitis own 3,545 properties in the United Arab Emirates, accounting for 42 percent of all Gulf citizens owning real estate there. They also top the list in Bahrain with 2,600 properties, representing 65 percent, and in Saudi Arabia with 2,536 properties, representing 71.8 percent of total Gulf national ownership.
Within Kuwait, Saudis hold the highest number of properties owned by Gulf nationals, with 237 cases. They are followed by Bahrainis with 24 properties, while Emiratis and Qataris each own four, and Omanis own two. Overall, property ownership across the Gulf saw a significant increase of 162.1 percent, the equivalent of 17,900 properties.
The report also highlighted the substantial rise in Gulf citizens’ mobility within the region. The number of Gulf nationals visiting Kuwait grew by 331.8 percent since 2007, reaching 6.6 million visitors by the end of 2024. Saudis accounted for the largest share at 84.5 percent, followed by Bahrainis at 10.4 percent, with Emiratis, Qataris, and Omanis making up the remaining 5.1 percent.
Regionally, 41.4 million Gulf nationals travelled between member states during 2024, an increase of 188.5 percent compared to 2007.
Cross-border employment also continued to grow. The report recorded 11,500 Gulf nationals working in the government sector of other member states and 14,000 employed in the private sector. Kuwaitis working in the GCC reached 2,111, with the majority in Saudi Arabia, followed by the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.
In Kuwait, Saudis were the largest Gulf workforce at 6,858 employees, followed by Omanis at 294, Bahrainis at 424, Emiratis at 29, and Qataris at 7.
The figures further showed an expansion in social security participation across GCC countries. A total of 11,900 Gulf nationals were registered in pension systems, marking a 192.2 percent rise since 2007, while 13,800 were covered by social insurance, a growth of 260.3 percent.
Among Kuwaitis abroad, 84 were enrolled in the UAE insurance system, five benefited from the Bahraini pension system, and 27 from social insurance. In Saudi Arabia, 1,892 Kuwaitis were supported by social security, in addition to 10 in Oman and 26 benefiting from retirement plans in Qatar.
Inside Kuwait, 6,061 Gulf nationals received retirement benefits, the vast majority being Saudis, along with 186 Omanis, 174 Bahrainis, 18 Emiratis, and six Qataris. Another 1,551 Gulf nationals were enrolled in the Kuwaiti insurance system, led again by Saudis, who accounted for 76.1 percent.
Economic integration was also reflected in trade and banking activity. Intra-GCC trade reached $146 billion, supported by 30 Gulf commercial banks licensed across member states, marking a 66.7 percent increase.
Four Kuwaiti banks currently operate in Gulf countries, including two in the UAE, one in Saudi Arabia, and one in Bahrain. Conversely, Kuwait hosts eight Gulf banks: two from the UAE, two from Saudi Arabia, two from Qatar, and one each from Bahrain and Oman.
Gulf nationals also held 96,300 commercial licenses across the region, an increase of 558.8 percent. Kuwaitis held 11,718 of these licenses, including 6,496 in the UAE, 2,356 in Bahrain, 578 in Saudi Arabia, 1,143 in Oman, and 1,145 in Qatar. In Kuwait, Gulf nationals obtained 4,547 business licenses, with Saudis holding the highest share at 3,513, followed by Bahrainis at 505, Emiratis at 271, Omanis at 192, and Qataris at 66.
The stock market data showed further growth in regional economic integration. The number of Gulf public shareholding companies open to cross-border ownership reached 748, an increase of 30.3 percent. Their combined capital rose to $549 million, a growth of 237.6 percent compared to 2007.
Despite the rise in capital, the total number of shareholders decreased to 246,600, a drop of 36.6 percent. Kuwaitis maintained a strong presence in regional markets, including 8,521 shareholders in the UAE, 13,824 in Bahrain, 2,927 in Saudi Arabia, 371 in Oman, and 19,195 in Qatar.
In Kuwait, Gulf nationals owned shares in 141 companies, with Saudis representing the largest number of shareholders.
The report also touched on education and health indicators, noting that 43,200 Gulf students were enrolled in government schools across GCC countries in the 2024–2025 academic year, while 12,800 pursued higher education. In addition, 488,900 Gulf citizens received healthcare services in government hospitals and clinics across the region, reflecting a growth of 17.4 percent.
The updated figures underscore deepening economic, social, and demographic interconnectivity within the GCC, driven by mobility, investment, and shared development priorities across the region.
