SAUDI ARABIA DEPORTS OVER 332,000 FOREIGNERS IN 2026 CRACKDOWN

Saudi Arabia has deported at least 332,774 foreign nationals for violating residency, labour and border regulations between January and August 26, 2026, as authorities intensify enforcement of immigration laws. The figure was compiled from 30 reported enforcement operations and highlights the scale of the kingdom’s ongoing crackdown on foreigners who breach its residency and employment regulations.

The latest enforcement operation, conducted between August 20 and 26, resulted in the deportation of 14,905 people, while another 14,434 individuals were arrested for various residency, labour and border-security violations. Saudi authorities have continued to carry out nationwide inspections and security operations as part of efforts to ensure that foreign residents comply with the country’s immigration and employment requirements.

The crackdown has affected nationals from several countries, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya. Authorities have particularly focused on individuals who entered the country illegally, overstayed their permitted residency or were found working in violation of labour regulations. In the latest week covered, 1,450 people were arrested for illegal entry, with Ethiopians accounting for about 58 per cent of those cases.

Saudi Arabia’s enforcement drive forms part of a wider tightening of immigration and labour regulations across the Gulf region. Other countries, including Oman and Bahrain, have also stepped up inspections and deportations, while Jordan has introduced a deadline for undocumented foreign workers to regularise their status before stricter enforcement begins.

The large number of deportations is expected to have implications for African nationals working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, particularly those employed in sectors that depend heavily on migrant labour. Authorities continue to urge foreign residents to maintain valid documentation and comply with employment rules, while the intensified enforcement underscores the risks faced by migrants who breach residency, labour or border regulations.