Sunday 04 / October / 2026
Muscat: Data from the report "Workers' Remittances from the GCC to the Outside 2025," issued by the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat), showed that the GCC countries combined recorded the highest value globally in workers' remittances sent abroad. The total reached approximately USD 161 billion, registering a growth of 13.6 percent compared to 2024, representing an increase of about USD 19 billion.
This rise comes in light of the continued attraction of an expatriate workforce, in parallel with the expansion of economic activities related to infrastructure projects, services, industry, and non-oil sectors.
The report clarified that the total workers' remittances from the GCC countries rose for the second consecutive year, following the decline recorded in 2023, reaching its highest level in 2025.
The ratio of workers' remittances to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the GCC countries reached about 6.6 percent in 2025, compared to about 6 percent in 2024, 5.7 percent in 2023, and 5.6 percent in 2022.
This ratio reflects the relative weight of workers' remittances compared to the size of the GCC economies, and it does not in itself indicate an improvement or decline in economic performance.
The global standing of the GCC countries is highlighted when comparing their total outward remittances with the values of remittances recorded in a number of major individual economies. According to the data contained in the report, workers' remittances sent from the United States of America reached about USD 107 billion, Switzerland about USD 43 billion, Germany about USD 27 billion, and France about USD 21 billion.
These remittances acquire an importance that goes beyond their direct financial value, as they contribute to supporting household incomes, consumption, and economic and social stability in the receiving countries. They also reflect the regional economic weight of the GCC, its role in the movement of global financial flows, and its connection to the global economy.
