GCC remittances 2025 reached a record of about $161 billion, according to the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat). Foreign workers in the six Gulf states sent 13.6% more money home than in 2024, which makes the bloc the largest source of outward worker remittances in the world.
For expats in Saudi Arabia, the regional number is only half the story. The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) separately puts personal transfers by expats in the Kingdom at SAR 165.5 billion for 2025, its own record.
What GCC-Stat reported
The Gulf total rose by roughly $19 billion, from about $142 billion in 2024. It is the second year of growth in a row after a dip in 2023.
| Source of outward remittances (2025) | Approximate value |
|---|---|
| GCC (six states combined) | $161 billion |
| United States | $107 billion |
| Switzerland | $43 billion |
| Germany | $27 billion |
| France | $21 billion |
Keep in mind this compares six countries together against single countries. The UAE was the biggest sender inside the Gulf, at about $62.1 billion.
Remittances equalled about 6.6% of combined GCC GDP in 2025, up from 6.0% in 2024 and 5.6% in 2022. GCC-Stat stressed that this ratio does not, on its own, show whether economies are doing better or worse.
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Why the money is growing
The short answer is more jobs for foreign workers. GCC-Stat linked the rise to steady hiring in construction, infrastructure, services, manufacturing and other non-oil activity, which now makes up 70.6% of the region’s GDP.
Saudi Arabia shows the same pattern. SAMA data shows expat transfers climbed from SAR 144.2 billion in 2024 to SAR 165.5 billion in 2025, up 15%. March 2025 alone hit SAR 15.5 billion, the highest single month since mid-2016.
The pace has cooled this year. In August 2026, expats in the Kingdom sent SAR 13.5 billion, just 1% more than a year earlier and about 6% less than in July.
What it means for expats in Saudi Arabia
Nothing changes in the rules. There is no new fee, cap or tax on personal transfers attached to this report, and you can keep sending money through licensed banks and exchange houses as before.
What the record does show is how many families depend on these transfers, and why the authorities keep a close eye on how money leaves the country. In practice, the checks fall on the sender, not the amount.
What expats should do now
- Keep your iqama valid. Banks and transfer apps block transfers once your iqama expires. Check your expiry date on Absher well before it runs out, or use our Iqama expiry check.
- Use only licensed channels. Send money through banks, exchange houses and apps licensed by the Saudi Central Bank. Informal hawala dealers are illegal and can land both sender and dealer in serious trouble.
- Match transfers to your income. Sending far more than your registered salary can trigger questions from your bank. Keep proof of the source if you transfer savings or end of service pay.
- Compare the full cost. Look at the exchange rate as well as the fee. A “zero fee” offer with a weak rate often costs more. Our guide to the best money transfer services and fees by country and today’s SAR exchange rates help you compare.
What has not changed
This is a statistics release, not a policy change. Many expats in Saudi Arabia worry every time remittance figures make headlines, but neither GCC-Stat nor SAMA has announced any tax, cap or new paperwork for personal transfers alongside these numbers.
If your iqama is valid and you use a licensed provider, your next transfer works exactly like your last one.