Gulf Statistical Center: GCC Countries Record Global High in Worker Remittances in 2025

Muscat, Oct 4 (KUNA) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Statistical Center announced on Sunday that the GCC countries collectively recorded the highest global value of worker remittances sent abroad in 2025, totaling approximately $161 billion, representing a growth of 13.6 percent compared to 2024.

In a report titled “Worker Remittances from the GCC Countries Abroad 2025,” the Center stated that this increase comes amid “the continued attraction of foreign labor, alongside the expansion of economic activities linked to infrastructure projects, services, industry, and non-oil sectors.”

The Center noted that total worker remittances from the GCC countries rose for the second consecutive year after a decline recorded in 2023, reaching their highest level in 2025, an increase of approximately $19 billion over 2024.

Regarding the share of worker remittances in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the GCC countries, the Center reported that it reached approximately 6.6 percent in 2025, compared to 6 percent in 2024, 5.7 percent in 2023, and 5.6 percent in 2022. It clarified that this percentage reflects the relative weight of worker remittances compared to the size of the GCC economies and “does not in itself indicate an improvement or deterioration in economic performance.”

In this regard, the Center highlighted the global standing of the GCC countries, which becomes evident when comparing their total outbound remittances with the remittance values recorded in several major economies individually. It pointed out that worker remittances sent from the United States amounted to approximately $107 billion, Switzerland to about $43 billion, Germany to around $27 billion, and France to roughly $21 billion.

Emphasizing the significance of these remittances, the Center affirmed that their value extends beyond their direct financial worth, as they contribute to supporting household incomes, consumption, and economic and social stability in recipient countries. They also reflect “the GCC’s regional economic weight, its role in global financial flow movements, and its linkage to the global economy.”

The GCC Statistical Center, headquartered in the Sultanate of Oman, was established in 2011 as the official body authorized to provide data, information, and statistics related to the GCC countries, in addition to its role in enhancing statistical and informational work among national statistical centers and planning authorities within the member states. (End) M.J.B. / S.M.A.