Top 13 Countries with the Highest Immigration Rates Worldwide

Leading in immigration rate is the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with over 88%. Migrant workers are excluded from UAE's collective labor rights, making them vulnerable to forced labor. Migrant workers in the UAE are not allowed to join unions. Furthermore, migrant workers are banned from striking. 12 workers were deported in 2014 for striking. Because migrant workers lack the right to join unions or strike, they have no means to report the exploitation they endure. The International Trade Union Confederation has called on the United Nations to investigate evidence showing thousands of migrant workers in the UAE are considered to be enslaved labor.

In 2013, police detained a US citizen and several UAE citizens, related to a YouTube video allegedly depicting Dubai and its residents in a mocking manner. The video was filmed in Satwa, Dubai areas and featured gangs pretending to fight with simple weapons including shoes, aghal, etc. In 2015, citizens from various countries were imprisoned for offenses. An Australian woman was charged with 'writing bad words on social media', after she posted a photo of an illegally parked car. She was subsequently deported from the UAE.

The population of Kuwait reached 4.1 million in 2014, with 1.2 million Kuwaiti citizens, 1.1 million other Arabs, 1.4 million Asian expatriates, and 76,698 Africans. Expatriates account for 70% of the total population, with 60% of Kuwait's population being Arabs (including Arab expatriates). Indians and Egyptians are the largest expatriate communities.

Kuwaiti society is characterized by diversity and tolerance. The majority of residents are Sunni Muslims, with a significant minority being Shia Muslims. Kuwait has a native Christian community, estimated to include 259-400 Kuwaiti citizens. Kuwait, along with Bahrain, are the two GCC countries with a native Christian community with citizenship rights. Additionally, there are Kuwaiti citizens following the Bahá'í faith. Kuwait also has large expatriate communities practicing Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

The official language of Kuwait is Modern Standard Arabic, but it is only used daily in the media and education. Kuwaiti Arabic is the variant of Arabic used in everyday life. English is widely understood and commonly used as a business language. Besides English, French is taught in schools as a third language for humanities students in schools, but only for two years. Due to immigration history, Persian is used in the Kuwaiti Ajam community. Kuwaiti Arabic is similar to the dialect of the coastal areas of the Arabian Peninsula. Due to immigration and trade, Kuwaiti Arabic borrows many vocabulary words from Persian, Indian, Turkish, and English.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, visitors will easily encounter millions of migrant workers as well as other foreign tourists rather than meeting Qatari nationals. A trip to the capital, Doha, will mean meeting some of the thousands of foreign workers hired to serve the 2022 World Cup. This World Cup is the most: the most expensive, the most controversial, and with the most multinational workforce. As you walk through Doha's Hamad International Airport, most people you encounter, from restroom cleaners, security personnel, to immigration officers, are migrant workers, as 95% of Qatar's workforce is foreign.

Qatar's population before the World Cup was 2.8 million, with only about 340,000 (12% of the population) being native Qatari nationals. The migrant population reaches about 88%, the third highest in the world. According to estimates by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, about 2 million foreign tourists are expected to be in Qatar during the World Cup this year. Therefore, the likelihood of tourists meeting Qatari natives is quite low, instead mainly interacting with other tourists and the large migrant workforce.

In 2012, the population of Singapore was 5.312 million, with 3.285 million (62%) being Singaporean citizens and the remaining (38%) being permanent residents or foreign workers/students. 23% of Singaporean citizens were born outside Singapore. There were one million permanent residents in Singapore in 2012. This population does not account for the 11 million temporary visitors who come to Singapore for tourism each year. The average life expectancy of Singaporeans is 82 years, and the average household size is 3.5 people. Due to land scarcity, 4/5 of Singaporeans live in subsidized, high-rise, publicly-owned apartments known as Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, with the board responsible for public housing in the country. There are nearly 200,000 domestic helpers in Singapore.

In 2010, the home ownership rate in Singapore was 87.2%. Mobile phone penetration is very high at 1,400 mobile phones per 1,000 people. About 1/10 residents own a car. In 2009, a government census reported that 74.2% of residents were of Chinese descent, 13.4% were of Malay descent, and 9.2% were of Indian descent, with Eurasians and other groups making up 3.2%. Prior to 2010, each individual could only register as a member of one race, following patrilineal descent, thus mixed-race individuals were classified under the race of their fathers. From 2010 onwards, citizens could register under a dual classification, where they could choose one main race and one sub-race, but no more than two.

In 2010, Bahrain's population reached 1.2 million, with 568,399 Bahraini citizens and 666,172 expatriates. These figures increased from 1.05 million (517,368 expatriates) in 2007, the year Bahrain's population exceeded one million. While the majority of Bahrain's residents are from the Middle East, a significant number come from South Asia. In 2008, there were around 290,000 Indian citizens living in Bahrain, making them the largest expatriate group. Bahrain is the fourth most densely populated sovereign nation in the world, with 1,646 people per square kilometer in 2010. Most residents live in the northern part of the archipelago, with the southern governorate being the least populated. Northern Bahrain is highly urbanized and is considered a major metropolitan area.

Bahrain has a diverse ethnic composition, with Bahrainis following Shia Islam being divided into two main ethnic groups: Baharna and Ajam. The majority of Bahraini Shia belong to the Baharna ethnic group, while the Ajam have Persian origins. Persian Shia form large communities in Manama and Muharraq. A small minority of Bahraini Shia belong to the Hasawis ethnic group from Al-Hasa (in Saudi Arabia). Bahrainis following Sunni Islam are mainly divided into two main ethnic groups: Arabs and Huwala. Sunni Arabs are the most influential ethnic group in Bahrain, holding most government positions, and the Bahraini royal family is Sunni Arab. Sunni Arabs traditionally reside in areas such as Zallaq, Muharraq, Riffa, and the Hawar Islands.

The Jordanian Department of Statistics estimated the population in 2011 to be 6,249,000 people. There were 946,000 households in Jordan in 2004, with an average of 5.3 people per household (compared to 6 people per household in the 1994 population census). A study published by Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza found that the genetic makeup of Jordanians is closest to that of the Assyrians among all other ethnic groups in Western Asia.

In 2007, there were between 700,000 to 1,000,000 Iraqis in Jordan. Since the Iraq War, many Christians from Iraq have permanently or temporarily settled in Jordan, with an estimated number of around 500,000. Additionally, 15,000 Lebanese immigrants arrived in Jordan after the 2006 war with Israel.

There are approximately 1,200,000 illegal immigrants and around 500,000 legal immigrant workers from Jordan in the UK. Moreover, thousands of foreign women work in nightclubs, hotels, and bars across the Kingdom of Jordan, mainly from Eastern Europe and North Africa. Jordan is also home to a relatively large number of expatriates from the United States and Europe, primarily concentrated in the capital, where many international organizations and diplomatic missions operate in their regional offices in Amman. According to the UNRWA, Jordan is home to 1,951,603 Palestinian refugees in 2008, most of whom have been recognized as Jordanian citizens. Among them, 338,000 are living in UNRWA refugee camps. Jordan has revoked the citizenship of thousands of Palestinians to prevent any attempts of their resettlement in the West Bank of Jordan.

The population of Saudi Arabia in July 2016 was estimated at 28.1 million, with around 30% (over 8 million to 10 million people) being non-citizen immigrants, although the country's leadership has a history of inflating population figures. Saudi Arabia's population grew rapidly from around 3 million in the 1950s, and for many years, it has been one of the countries with the highest birth rates in the world, with around 3% per year. However, the total fertility rate in 2016 decreased to 2.11 children per woman.

The ethnic composition of Saudi Arabian citizens is 90% Arab and 10% Afro-Asian. Most Saudi Arabians live in the Hejaz (35%), Najd (28%), and Eastern Province (15%). Until around 1970, most Saudi Arabians lived in rural areas, but in the latter half of the 20th century, the kingdom underwent rapid urbanization. As of 2012, around 80% of Saudi Arabians live in large urban areas, particularly Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam.

The population of Saudi Arabia is relatively young, with over half under 25 years old (2012). A significant portion of the population holds foreign citizenship. (The CIA Factbook estimated that as of 2013, foreigners living in Saudi Arabia accounted for around 21% of the population. The Saudi Arabian Central Department of Statistics and Information estimated that by the end of 2014, foreigners accounted for 33% of the population (10.1 million). Among them, there are 1.3 million Indians, 1.5 million Pakistanis (2012), 900,000 Egyptians, 800,000 Yemenis, 500,000 Bangladeshis, 500,000 Filipinos, 260,000 Jordanians/Palestinians, 250,000 Indonesians, 350,000 Sri Lankans, 250,000 Sudanese, 100,000 Syrians, and 100,000 Turks.

In 2012, Switzerland's population exceeded eight million. Similar to other developed countries, Switzerland's population increased rapidly during the industrialization period, quadrupling from 1800 to 1990. Since then, growth has stabilized, and like most of Europe, Switzerland is currently facing an aging population structure, but continuous growth is forecasted annually until 2035, mainly due to immigration and near replacement fertility rates.

As of 2012, foreign residents accounted for 23.3% of the population, one of the highest rates in the developed world. Most of them (64%) come from the European Union or EFTA countries. Italians are the largest single ethnic group among foreign nationals, accounting for 15.6% in this group, followed by Germans (15.2%), migrants from Portugal (12.7%), France (5.6%), Serbia (5.3%), Turkey (3.8%), Spain (3.7%), and Austria (2%). Sri Lankan migrants, mostly Tamil refugees, are the largest group among those of Asian origin.

Additionally, data from 2012 shows that 34.7% of the resident population aged 15 and over in Switzerland (approximately 2.33 million people) have an immigrant background. One-third of them (853,000) hold Swiss citizenship. Four-fifths of those with an immigrant background are immigrants themselves, while one-fifth were born in Switzerland.

For nearly two centuries, the majority of settlers, and later immigrants, came to Australia from the British Isles. Consequently, Australians predominantly have British and/or Irish ancestry. According to the 2016 census in Australia, the most commonly reported ancestries are English (36.1%), Australian (33.5%), mostly with some British-Celtic ancestry, Irish (11.0%), Scottish (9.3%), Italian (4.6%), German (4.5%), Indian (2.8%), Greek (1.8%), and Dutch (1.6%).

Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I. However, its population density of 2.8 people/km² remains among the lowest in the world. Most population growth has been driven by immigration. Following World War II and until 2000, nearly 5.9 million of the total settled population in Australia were immigrants, meaning almost two out of every seven Australians were born in another country. Most immigrants are skilled workers, but immigration quotas include both family members and refugees.

In 2016, 26% of Australia's population was born overseas; the largest immigrant groups were born in the UK (3.9%), New Zealand (2.2%), mainland China (2.2%), India (1.9%), and the Philippines (1%). After the abolition of the White Australia policy in 1973, various government initiatives were undertaken to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a multicultural policy. In 2015–16, 189,770 permanent immigrants were admitted to Australia, predominantly from Asia.

The population of Lebanon consists of three main ethnic and religious groups: Muslims (Shi'ites, Sunnis, Alawites), the Druze sect, and Christians (mostly Maronite Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Melkite Catholics, as well as Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Catholic, Chaldean Catholic, Latin Catholic, Evangelical, Coptic Orthodox, and Protestant). Lebanon is the most Christian-majority country in the Middle East region.

No official census of the population has been conducted since 1932, reflecting Lebanon's political sensitivity regarding religious balance. An estimated 27% of the population is Sunni Muslim, 27% Shia Muslim, 39% Christian, and 5% Druze. There used to be a small number of Jews, mainly residing in central Beirut. Similarly, a small community (less than 1%) of Kurds (also known as Mhallamis or Mardins) lives in Lebanon. Nearly 15 million Lebanese people live worldwide, predominantly Christians, with Brazil having the largest overseas Lebanese community. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, France, Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States are also countries with significant Lebanese immigrant populations to Lebanon. Some 360,000 Palestinian refugees have been registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Lebanon since 1948, with estimated remaining numbers ranging from 180,000 to 250,000.

The urban population, mainly concentrated in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, boasts a highly significant commercial enterprise. A century and a half of migration and return have expanded Lebanon's commercial network globally, from North and South America to Europe, the Persian Gulf, and Africa. Lebanon has a highly skilled and educated workforce comparable to most European countries.

As of June 2016, New Zealand's estimated population reached 4.69 million and is increasing at a rate of 2.1% per year. New Zealand is predominantly urban, with 72% of residents living in 16 main urban areas and 53% living in the four largest cities: Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Hamilton. New Zealand's cities are often highly ranked in international liveability assessments.

The life expectancy of New Zealanders in 2012 was 84 years for females and 80.2 years for males. Life expectancy at birth is projected to increase from 80 years to 85 years by 2050, and infant mortality rates are expected to decrease. New Zealand's fertility rate is 2.1, relatively high for a developed nation, and natural increase contributes significantly to population growth. Therefore, New Zealand has a relatively young population compared to most industrialized countries, with 20% of New Zealanders aged 14 or younger. By 2050, the population is projected to increase to 5.3 million, the average age to rise from 36 to 43, and the proportion of people aged 60 and over to increase from 18% to 29%.

In the 2013 census, 74.0% of New Zealand residents identified as European, and 14.9% as Maori. Other major ethnic groups include Asian (11.8%) and Pacific Islander (7.4%). The population has become more diverse in recent decades: the 1961 census showed that New Zealand's population consisted of 92% Europeans and 7% Maori, with Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities sharing the remaining 1%.

The 2016 Canadian census reported a total population of 35,151,728, an increase of about 5% from the 2011 figures. Canada's population density, 3.7 people per square kilometer (9.6/sq mi), is one of the lowest in the world. The Canadian territory spans from latitude 83°W to 41°W, with about 95% of the population living south of latitude 55°N.

About four-fifths of Canada's population lives within 150 kilometers (93 mi) of the United States border. Approximately 80% of Canadians reside in concentrated urban areas within the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor, the Lower Mainland in British Columbia, and the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor in Alberta. Like other developed nations, Canada is undergoing demographic shifts toward an aging population, with more retirees and fewer people in working-age cohorts. In 2006, the average age of Canadians was 39.5; by 2011, this figure had risen to approximately 39.9. In 2013, the average life expectancy of Canadians was 81.

According to the 2016 census, the largest self-reported ethnic origin is Canadian (32% of the population), followed by English (18.3%), Scottish (13.9%), French (13.6%), Irish (13.4%), German (9.6%), Chinese (5.1%), Italian (4.6%), First Nations (4.4%), Indian (4.0%), and Ukrainian (3.9%). There are 600 recognized First Nations tribes, totaling 1,172,790 individuals.

In 2017, the estimated population of Israel reached 8,680,600, with 6,484,000 (74.7%) recorded as Jewish. 1,808,000 Arabs accounted for 20.8% of the population, while non-Arab Christian and non-religious individuals registered 4.4%. During the early years of the 21st century, a large influx of migrant workers from Romania, Thailand, China, Africa, and South America settled in Israel. The exact figures are unclear due to many residing illegally, but estimates reach around 203,000. As of June 2012, about 60,000 African migrants entered Israel. Approximately 92% of Israelis reside in urban areas.

The phenomenon of Jewish emigration from Israel (referred to as yerida in Hebrew), primarily to the United States and Canada, is described by demographers as modest, but Israeli government agencies often portray it as a significant threat to the country's future.

In 2016, 399,300 Israelis resided in West Bank settlements, such as Ma'ale Adumim and Ariel, including settlements established before the establishment of the State of Israel and reestablished after the Six-Day War, in cities like Hebron and Gush Etzion. In 2011, 250,000 Jews resided in East Jerusalem. 20,000 Israelis lived in settlements on the Golan Heights. The total population residing in Israeli settlements exceeds 500,000 (6.5% of Israel's population). About 7,800 Israelis resided in settlements in the Gaza Strip until they were evacuated by the Israeli government as part of the disengagement plan in 2015.