The total number of work permits issued by the Ministry of Interior to Egyptians (for the first time or renewal) reached 1.252 million in 2016 compared to 1.328 million in 2015, a decrease of 5.7%, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics' (CAPMAS) recent report. CAPMAS stated that the total number of work permits issued (for the first time) reached 555,311 in 2016 compared to 612,644 in 2015, a decrease of 9.4%. The total number of work permits issued (renewal) reached 696,942 in 2016 compared to 714,898 in 2015, a decrease of 2.5%. CAMPAS noted that work permits to work in Arab countries were the highest, with a total of 1,220,863, which is 97.5% of the permits granted. Saudi Arabia was in the first rank regarding the number of work permits issued, accounting alone for 684,643 permits (56.1%), followed by Kuwait with 219,184 permits (18% of total). Meanwhile, the total number of work permits issued to Egyptian to work in Europe reached 24,128 (1.9% of the total number). Italy was in first rank of European countries group regarding number of work permits issued, reaching 19,385 (80.3% of the total number issued to European countries), followed by Greece with 3,824 permits (15.9% of the total number of work permits to European countries). In addition, CAPMAS said that the umber of intermediate education workers who obtained work permits came at the first rank among other categories, with a total of 473,917 permits (37.8% of total), followed by those who do not have a post-secondary education (363,841 permits, accounting for 29.1% of the total permits issued to Egyptians in 2016). Daqahleya came in first rank in terms of number of work permits issued, with 152,897 permits (12.2% of total), followed by Sohag governorate, which accounted for 115,667 permits (9.2 % of total).
