New contracts in Kuwait increase Filipino worker salaries to KD 150
The adjustment of contracts encouraged more Filipino workers to accept jobs in Kuwait, driving a 60% rise in recruitment requests, a trend seen as paving the way for Manila to lift its suspension.
• Workers who signed valid contracts before the Philippine circular cannot demand salary increases until their contracts expire. Wages depend on the nature of assigned tasks. In specialized cases such as child, elderly, or disability care, salaries may exceed KD 200.
In response to the report under the headline “Gulf Veto Against Philippine Requirements for Exporting Domestic Workers”, which sparked strong public reactions, specialist in domestic worker affairs, Bassam Al-Shammari, clarified the current developments in recruitment practices, reported Al Jarida newspaper.
The original report highlighted the concerns of Gulf Cooperation Council countries over new conditions announced by the Philippine government—particularly the decision by Manila’s Ministry of Labor to raise the minimum monthly wage for Filipino domestic workers from $400 to $500 (about KD 150), without prior consultation with host countries.
Al-Shammari revealed that several local recruitment offices in Kuwait have already begun adjusting contracts with Filipino domestic workers by increasing salaries to KD 150, provided both the employer and the worker agree.
However, he stressed that until now no official directive has been issued by the Public Authority for Manpower or other concerned bodies. Therefore, recruitment contracts cannot be formally amended according to the new Philippine procedures unless approved through official channels.
He pointed out that Law No. 68/2015 on domestic workers sets only a minimum salary of KD 75 per month but no ceiling. Workers who signed valid contracts before the Philippine circular cannot demand salary increases until their contracts expire. Wages, he explained, depend on the nature of assigned tasks. In specialized cases such as child, elderly, or disability care, salaries may exceed KD 200.
According to Al-Shammari, the adjustment of contracts has encouraged more Filipino workers to accept opportunities in Kuwait, leading to a 60 percent increase in recruitment requests. This positive trend, he noted, could pave the way for Manila to lift its suspension on sending new workers, which currently limits recruitment to those with prior Gulf experience. He also reassured that the Kuwaiti market will remain stable despite political uncertainty in Nepal, another key source of domestic labor.
Addressing the Philippine requirements, Al-Shammari emphasized that Kuwait’s labor laws already guarantee wide protections, including the unified contract issued by the Manpower Authority, which covers healthcare, examinations, weekly rest days, annual leave, and end-of-service benefits. He added that the Domestic Labor Department works actively to resolve disputes and protect workers’ material and moral rights, offering multiple channels for filing complaints.
Finally, he dismissed rumors circulating on social media about the cancellation of workers’ rights, calling them false and harmful to Kuwait’s reputation and to the recruitment sector.
