Kuwait’s labor market grows to 2.23 mln workers in mid-2025, driven by expatriate employment
The latest figures from Kuwait’s labor market reveal that the total number of workers—excluding domestic labor—rose to 2.229 million citizens and residents by the end of June 2025. The data showed 1.78 million male and female expatriates and 448,900 Kuwaiti citizens, indicating steady employment growth in the first half of the year.
During the first six months of 2025, the workforce expanded by 15,550 workers, compared to 2.213 million at the end of December 2024. While the expatriate workforce grew by 16,227, the number of Kuwaiti citizens in the labor market declined slightly by 669 workers.
Indians Lead Workforce Composition
Indians remain the largest group in Kuwait’s labor market, accounting for 25.9% of all workers, with 578,240 individuals as of June 2025 — up by 4,375 from the end of 2024. Egyptians followed, representing 21.1% of the total with 469,370 workers, a decrease of 6,780 compared to December 2024.
Kuwaitis ranked third, making up 20.1% of the workforce, with 448,900 citizens by the end of June 2025 — a slight dip from 449,580 six months earlier.
Decline in Public Sector Employment
The number of Kuwaitis employed in the government sector, which represents 73.1% of the total citizen workforce, dropped by 5,112 to reach 327,967 by the end of June 2025. Similarly, employment in the state-owned oil sector decreased by 563 workers, totaling 19,885 citizens.
In contrast, private-sector employment among Kuwaitis accounted for 10.2% of the national workforce, with 45,860 citizens, down from 47,160 at the end of 2024. Workers insured under Chapter Five—self-employed or working in small businesses—represented 4.2%, with 18,860 citizens as of June 2025.
Wage Trends
The report also highlighted wage differentials across sectors. The average monthly salary for Kuwaitis reached 1,571 dinars, with men earning 1,865 dinars and women averaging 1,356 dinars.
For Kuwaitis in the government sector, the average salary stood at 1,605 dinars, while those in the private sector earned an average of 1,401 dinars. Within the private sector, male citizens earned 1,654 dinars on average, compared to 1,112 dinars for female citizens.
