Net migration in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates: Net migration was 158,634 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
158,634
Change on year
down 43.0%
World rank
8th
of 215 countries
All-time high
722,380
in 2007
All-time low
-125,186
in 2019
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Net migration in United Arab Emirates, 1960–2025

-200.0k0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k196019922025

Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.

Analysis

In 2025, net migration in United Arab Emirates stood at 158,634.

The figure is down 43.0% on the previous year and down 53.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net migration in United Arab Emirates peaked at 722,380 in 2007 and was at its lowest, -125,186, in 2019.

That places United Arab Emirates 8th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 8,844 -283 39,902 10
1970s 57,581 40,792 82,359 10
1980s 54,456 37,600 78,148 10
1990s 112,404 62,352 183,329 10
2000s 287,325 163,643 722,380 10
2010s 170,375 -125,186 360,174 10
2020s 262,342 92,541 421,663 6

Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates

  1. 5 Canada 326,204 compare
  2. 6 Sudan 291,469 compare
  3. 7 Malaysia 166,615 compare
  4. 9 South Africa 146,370 compare
  5. 10 Japan 140,579 compare
  6. 11 Australia 137,109 compare

See the full ranking of 264 places →

More financial sector data for United Arab Emirates

All data for United Arab Emirates →

Frequently asked questions

What is net migration in United Arab Emirates?
Net migration in United Arab Emirates was 158,634 in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
What is the highest net migration recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The highest recorded value was 722,380 in 2007.
What is the lowest net migration recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The lowest recorded value was -125,186 in 2019.
How does United Arab Emirates rank for net migration?
United Arab Emirates ranks 8th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
Is net migration rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Net migration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Net migration
Source
World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
264 places, 17,424 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens.