Al-Shall’s weekly report highlights concerns regarding the quarterly labor statistics report, as of June 30, 2023, released by the Central Administration of Statistics. The report suggests that the numbers, either inaccurately presented or requiring clarification, contradict the objectives of development, population, and labor policies. Al-Shall contends that excluding family sector workers reveals a seemingly erroneous increase in total employment over one year, between June 2022 and 2023, by approximately 173.1 thousand workers, representing a 9% surge to around 306.5 thousand workers. When family sector employment is factored in, the overall increase reaches about 11.9% in one year.
Breaking down the figures, the total Kuwaiti workforce as of June 30, 2023, stands at approximately 447.1 thousand workers, inclusive of female workers numbering about 258.9 thousand. The percentage of female workers in the total Kuwaiti workforce is approximately 57.9%. This implies that Kuwait is a global leader in terms of gender equality. However, Al-Shall raises the possibility of interpreting these numbers as indicative of an artificial and unsustainable labor market, driven by the goal of employment as long as public finances can absorb hidden unemployment. It calls upon official statistics officials to provide an explanation for these figures, reports Al-Anba daily.
The report notes that the growth rate of Kuwaiti employment over a year is around 1.94%, while non-Kuwaiti labor experiences a growth rate of about 11.1%, exceeding five times the growth of Kuwaiti labor. This leads to a decline in the percentage of Kuwaiti labor in the total from 22.9% to 21.4%.
Al-Shall emphasizes that if these figures are accurate, they contradict the goals of government visions, development plans, and successful government programs. Even if the numbers are not entirely accurate, the report calls for a statistical revolution in the country, highlighting the need for modernization in the digital age. National statistics in the country are noted to be lagging and weak.
Regarding employment by nationality, the proportions to the total number of workers are 24.5% for Egyptian workers, 23.1% for Indian workers, and 21.4% for Kuwaiti workers. These percentages are provided after excluding the family sector. After including family sector workers, the proportions change to 30.2% for Indian workers, 16.8% for Egyptian workers, and 15.5% for Kuwaiti workers.
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