There was a 10 per cent drop in the number of permits issued for expats, investors and dependants last year compared with 2024, according to the latest data.
The total number of new permits issued by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) last year was 159,759, including 129,149 employment work permits, 7,496 investor permits and 23,114 dependent permits.
The total number of permits issued decreased by 10.1pc compared with 177,659 permits issued in 2024.
This was revealed in the latest LMRA market indicators for the fourth quarter of 2025 which further showed that employment among expats increased during the same period.
A total of 654,672 foreign workers were employed by the end of last year representing a 1.8pc increase compared with 643,274 employees at the end of 2024.
Foreign workers’ active permits reached 654,672 last year
“The economic sector with the highest number of new work permits of the employment permits type continues to be the construction sector with a share of 20.4pc of total employment permits issued, followed by the wholesale and retail trade sector with a share of 19.2pc, and the accommodation and food service activities sector with a share of 13.4pc,” according to the data.
Organisations hiring less than 10 workers of employment work permits recorded 57.7pc of the total new employment work permits issued during 2025.
Meanwhile, the indicators revealed that permit renewals issued by the LMRA last year stood at 577,730, including 502,808 employment permits, 15,075 for investors and 59,847 for dependents.
A graph shows the decline in work permits issued from 2021 until last year
The total number of renewals increased by 11.2pc compared with 519,516 in 2024, the data revealed.
Furthermore, the number of permit terminations processed by the LMRA based on requests last year was 116,006, including 98,025 employment work permits, 1,861 for investors and 16,120 for dependents.
The GDN reported earlier this month that more than 400 foreign workers of different nationalities were deported last month as part of inspection campaigns led by the LMRA over the years to crack down on undocumented expats in the country.
The government watchdog has over the past few years stepped up its joint campaigns with other ministries, with workers found in residency violations arrested or deported.
A breakdown of new permits, renewals and terminations over the past five years
Since January 2024, a total of 137,959 inspection visits and 2,464 joint campaigns have been conducted, resulting in 4,160 detentions and the deportation of 14,120 irregular workers.
Inspections were temporarily halted for about two months following the Iranian attacks which began on February 28.
Last year, the authority carried out 54,600 inspections, in addition to 795 joint campaigns, resulting in the identification of 860 irregular workers and the deportation of 4,776 expats. The highest number of inspections – 8,537 – occurred in October, while the peak in deportations – 470 – was recorded in June.
&uuid=(email))