Non-citizen population in Sabah down 0.32 per cent in 2025

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 8, 2026: The number of non-citizens in Sabah declined by 0.32 per cent in 2025 to 1.0402 million, compared with 1.0436 million in 2024, according to the International Migration Statistics 2025 published by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on Dec 24, 2025.

For the period between 1991 and 2025, Sabah recorded the highest number of non-citizens compared with other states, with the highest proportion registered in 1991 at 56.5 per cent (453,470 people). The highest absolute number of non-citizens was recorded in 2018, totalling 1.1587 million.

In 2025, the non-citizen population in Sabah was estimated at 1.0402 million, a figure that remains lower than the level recorded in 2018.

The period from 2020 to 2022 saw changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, which altered population structures compared with the pre-pandemic period. During the pandemic, the number of non-citizens in Malaysia and Sabah declined to 2.56 million and 0.78 million respectively in 2021, compared with levels before Covid-19.

Sandakan recorded the highest number of non-citizens in 2025 at 195,100, followed by Tawau (142,900) and Kota Kinabalu (125,400).

 In terms of population composition, Kinabatangan recorded the highest proportion of non-citizens at 72.9 per cent, followed by Kalabakan (69.3 per cent) and Kunak (53.4 per cent).

Kota Kinabalu’s annual growth rate of non-citizens in 2025 rose to 2.9 per cent, involving a total of 125,400 people, compared with 16.4 per cent (121,800) in 2024. 

The increase was driven by post-pandemic factors, including the reopening of economic and education sectors, which led to the influx of foreign workers and international students. 

Despite the increase, the non-citizen population in Kota Kinabalu in 2025 remains lower than in 2018, when it stood at 144,700.

The current estimates of the non-citizen population for 2025 were compiled based on mid-year estimates for the period from July 2024 to June 2025, derived from the 2020 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia. 

The estimates use the de jure concept, which includes individuals who have lived or are expected to live as usual members of a household for six months or more during the reference year, based on their usual place of residence.

The population measurement concept does not take into account daytime and nighttime populations — individuals who are present in an area during the day or night without residing there.

The presence of daytime and nighttime populations contributes to higher population figures, particularly in urban areas, for purposes such as work, business, shopping, dealings with government or private agencies, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, and other daily activities.