Bassam Al-Shammari, an expert in domestic labor affairs, has unveiled that the numbert of domestic workers in the country has reached around 780,000 this year.
In a statement to Al-Anba, Al-Shammari elaborated that a potential crisis looms during the forthcoming months due to the expiration of contracts for numerous domestic workers, especially Filipino workers, whose entry into the country remains suspended. Consequently, these workers might leave without prospects of returning in the foreseeable future.
Al-Shammari underscored the urgency for relevant government bodies to expedite the process of establishing memorandums of understanding with countries that export domestic labor. This proactive approach is necessary to preempt a crisis that could negatively impact employers, recruitment offices, and companies.
He also advocated a move away from reliance on a single source country and encouraged the exploration of new labor-exporting nations that align better with Kuwait’s work environment.
He expressed hope that the competent authorities, each within their domain, would collaborate to find solutions that streamline the coordination among various government entities or establish a dedicated framework to address the multifaceted challenges associated with domestic labor.
Al-Shammari further appealed to the pertinent government agencies to heed the directives of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid. This includes the opening of doors to new recruitment countries or finding viable solutions for countries currently under suspension.
The domestic labor sector has been grappling with significant issues due to the suspension of labor export from multiple countries. He highlighted that the continuation of the current approach carries adverse consequences.
These include a severe labor shortage affecting citizens and residents, escalated recruitment costs due to high demand and low supply exacerbated by monopolistic practices, amplified labor disputes arising from workers’ desire to leave upon contract expiration without suitable replacements, the emergence of an unregulated black market, and detrimental impacts on businesses, recruitment firms, small and medium enterprises, and domestic workers alike.
Al-Shammari underscored the correlation between urban expansion and the escalating labor demand, emphasizing that labor scarcity can lead to an upsurge in instances of labor migration towards higher-paying opportunities, causing both economic and social ramifications.
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