Kuwait’s labor market expansion hinges on healthcare facilities for expats

Further expansion of Kuwait’s labor market to accommodate foreign workers from a wider range of countries, is contingent on the implementation of dedicated health insurance hospitals and clinics for expatriates.

According to well-informed sources within the Ministry of Interior’s Residency Affairs Department, an advisory committee tasked with examining the country’s demographic composition reviewed a report submitted by the company contracted to build and operate these healthcare facilities.

The report indicated that three hospitals and 20 clinics have been completed, with ongoing efforts to initiate their operations and secure the necessary medical personnel in coordination with the Ministry of Health. However, no specific timeframe has been set for their full activation.

The committee emphasized that opening the labor market to new foreign workers without ensuring the availability of dedicated healthcare facilities for expatriates could strain the government’s healthcare infrastructure. They further highlighted their ongoing monitoring of residency-related reports to track the number of violators who will either regularize their status or depart the country within the grace period granted by the Ministry of Interior.

This grace period, which ends on June 17, 2024, is expected to impact an estimated 120,000 to 140,000 individuals of various nationalities, according to recent security estimates.