Residency crackdown pays off, number of violators falls to 80,800
. . . despite rise in new cases
- New government statistics show Kuwait is steadily reducing the overall number of residency violators even as new violations continue to emerge, reflecting sustained enforcement alongside a growing expatriate workforce.
- The report highlights continued growth in Kuwait’s expatriate population. The total number of valid residency permits reached 3.166 million by the end of 2025, an increase of 142,000 permits, or 4.7 percent, compared with the previous year.
Kuwait has continued to reduce the overall number of residency law violators, even as new immigration breaches increased during 2025, according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistical Bureau.
The data show that the total number of residency violators fell to 80,800 by the end of 2025, down from 81,500 a year earlier.
Although the decline was modest, it signals that authorities are continuing to identify violators while simultaneously resolving existing cases through legal procedures and enforcement measures.
At the same time, 11,700 new residency violations were recorded during 2025, up from 10,700 in 2024. The figures suggest that while fresh violations continue to occur, government efforts to regularize or remove existing cases are helping reduce the overall backlog.
The report also highlights continued growth in Kuwait’s expatriate population. The total number of valid residency permits reached 3.166 million by the end of 2025, an increase of 142,000 permits, or 4.7 percent, compared with the previous year.
Private sector employees remained the largest group of residency holders under Article 18, accounting for about 1.66 million permits, or more than half of all valid residencies.
Domestic workers under Article 20 made up the second-largest category with 773,300 permits, followed by family dependents under Article 22, with 566,600 permits.
The report also showed a decline in cancelled residency permits. A total of 47,200 permits were cancelled during 2025, compared with 49,700 the previous year, continuing a downward trend seen over the past three years.
Among new residency violations, most were linked to private sector work permits (Article 18), which accounted for 4,300 cases, followed closely by temporary residency permits (Article 14) with 4,100 violations. Violations involving domestic workers and family dependents were comparatively lower.
By nationality, non-Arab Asian residents continued to account for the largest share of both residency holders and residency violations, reflecting their significant presence in Kuwait’s workforce. The report also noted steady growth in the number of residents from non-Arab African countries over the past four years.
Overall, the latest statistics indicate that Kuwait’s residency system continues to expand alongside economic activity, while authorities maintain efforts to strengthen compliance with immigration regulations.
Although new violations remain a challenge, the continued decline in the total number of violators suggests that enforcement and regularization measures are gradually producing results.
