Kuwait population reaches 5.31 million with expatriates accounting for 70% of residents
- Kuwait’s population climbed to 5.31 million by the end of June 2026, with expatriates making up 70 percent of residents, according to new PACI data.
- The figures show a workforce exceeding 3.26 million, Indians remaining the country’s largest expatriate community, and a labor market that continues to rely heavily on foreign workers, particularly in the private sector and domestic employment.
Kuwait’s population reached approximately 5.31 million by the end of June 2026, with expatriates continuing to form the majority of residents, according to the latest figures released by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI).
The data shows Kuwaiti citizens numbered around 1.56 million, representing 30 percent of the population, while 3.74 million expatriates accounted for the remaining 70 percent.
Indians remained the country’s largest expatriate community with 1.06 million residents, equivalent to 20 percent of Kuwait’s total population.
Egyptians ranked second among expatriate communities with approximately 670,000 people (13 percent), followed by Bangladeshis with 333,100 (6 percent). Filipinos numbered 226,500, while Syrians, Sri Lankans and Nepalese each accounted for around four percent of the population. Saudis numbered 155,500, while Pakistanis totaled 105,700.
The figures also highlight Kuwait’s relatively young population profile. Around 870,600 people, or 16 percent, are under the age of 15, while 4.28 million people (81 percent) fall within the economically productive age group of 15 to 64 years. Those aged 65 and above totalled 158,200, representing just three percent of the population.
Housing data showed that 4.21 million people live in private households, while approximately 1.09 million reside in collective accommodation.
The labor force reached 3.264 million workers, representing 61 percent of Kuwait’s total population. Expatriates continue to dominate the labour market, with around 2.8 million foreign workers, equivalent to 75 percent of the expatriate population living in the country.
Indians make up the largest share of the workforce at 28.8 percent, followed by Egyptians at 14.6 percent and Kuwaitis at 14.2 percent. Bangladeshis account for 9.9 percent, Filipinos 6.6 percent, Sri Lankans 5.8 percent, Nepalese 5.7 percent, while Syrians and Pakistanis each represent 2.3 percent. Jordanians account for around one percent of the workforce.
Among Kuwaiti citizens, 32 percent participate in the labor force, with men and women contributing equally.
Employment across the public and private sectors totals approximately 2.37 million people, including 531,600 employees in the government sector and 1.84 million in the private sector. Overall, employed individuals account for 45 percent of Kuwait’s population.
The private sector remains heavily reliant on expatriate labor. Indians comprise 30.7 percent of private-sector employees, followed by Egyptians at 23.6 percent, Bangladeshis at 11.2 percent, Nepalese at 6.2 percent, Filipinos at 3.9 percent, Pakistanis at 3.7 percent, and Jordanians at 1.5 percent.
In contrast, Kuwaiti nationals dominate public-sector employment, accounting for 74.7 percent of government employees. Egyptians represent 7.1 percent, Indians 5.1 percent, Bangladeshis 1.7 percent, and Pakistanis 1.2 percent.
Domestic workers continue to represent a significant segment of Kuwait’s labor market. PACI reported approximately 883,300 domestic workers, equivalent to 27 percent of the total workforce and 17 percent of the country’s overall population. Women account for 57.7 percent of domestic workers.
Indians comprise the largest share of domestic workers at 39 percent, followed by Sri Lankans (17.9 percent), Filipinos (17.1 percent), Bangladeshis (12.1 percent), Nepalese (7.8 percent), Ethiopians (2.5 percent), Beninese (1.8 percent), Malians (0.4 percent) and Sudanese (0.2 percent).
The demographic breakdown by gender showed 3.21 million males, representing 60 percent of the population, compared with 2.1 million females, who account for the remaining 40 percent.
The latest PACI figures reinforce Kuwait’s continued reliance on a large expatriate population to support its labor market, particularly in the private sector and domestic employment, while Kuwaiti nationals remain concentrated in government jobs. They also reflect a predominantly working-age population that continues to underpin the country’s economic activity.
