Kuwait, Philippines plan Manila labor recruitment resumption

• Local recruitment offices are ready to import Filipino domestic workers to meet urgent market demands due to limited exporting countries dealing with Kuwait, said Abdulaziz Al-Ali, the Director General and Advisor to the Union of Domestic Workers Recruitment Office Owners.

Abdulaziz Al-Ali, the Director General and Advisor to the Union of Domestic Workers Recruitment Office Owners, announced that an urgent virtual meeting was held on Friday via Zoom.

The meeting, involving Khaled Al-Dakhnan, President of the Union, and his Philippine counterpart, aimed to discuss the latest developments in resuming labor recruitment from Manila and outline the process for workers returning to Kuwait, as reported by Q8-Press.

Al-Ali explained that the meeting followed the previous meeting between the Philippine Federation and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour in Manila. They discussed the guidelines for labor export controls and requirements, including recruitment procedures and the necessary paperwork and documents that Kuwaiti local offices must have for initiating labor contracts, referred to as ‘job orders.’

Requests for ‘job order’

Al-Ali pointed out that on the 22nd, the Philippine Federation informed them about the adoption of the aforementioned regulation. It allows local offices to consult the labor attaché at the embassy the following day, the 23rd, to submit ‘job order’ requests and determine recruitment costs. He noted, “This process has not been completed yet, especially amidst reports of the Ministry of Commerce reviewing recently issued pricing decisions.”

According to discussions with the Philippine Federation, “Continuing with the current pricing structure without adjusting recruitment costs based on nationality would hinder labor recruitment from the Philippines, given their relatively lower costs compared to other Gulf countries, particularly Manila, which offers the most competitive rates.”

Al-Ali said, “Local recruitment offices are fully prepared to begin importing domestic workers from there, especially considering the urgent market demand due to the scarcity of countries exporting these workers that Kuwait deals with. No other nationality can fill the significant void left by Filipino labor since the recruitment ban decision.”

He pointed out that the number of Filipino domestic workers in the local market has not been large, underscoring their significance for many Kuwaiti and expatriate families who prefer their services for several reasons. These include ease of communication, excellent care provided to all family members, their high educational level, and familiarity with local customs and traditions.

It is noteworthy that Minister of Trade, Industry and Commerce’s Decision No. 2 of 2024, which determines the cost of bringing domestic workers, including a travel ticket, amounts to 750 dinars from Asian countries, 575 dinars from African countries, and 350 dinars for workers with special passports provided by sponsors, has negatively impacted the quality of labor arriving in Kuwait.

The wages of the workers have become higher, unlike before, when they were generally younger to middle-aged, which has not been well received or accepted by most Kuwaiti and expatriate families.