Representatives Hani Shams, Khalil Abel, Khalil Al-Saleh, Ahmed Lari and Saleh Ashour submitted a proposal stipulating the establishment of the National Committee for Regulating and Managing Demographics, which aimed at addressing the imbalance, as well as, achieving balance in the demographic structure for social, economic and job security, and develop planning policies to amend the current structure.
According to Al Qabas, the committee will assume tasks and specializations, including a comprehensive study of the dimensions of the demographics, and the development of the plan and labor policy necessary to reach the maximum number of expats at a rate not exceeding 30 percent of the total population of Kuwait, and for one nationality at a rate not exceeding 25 percent of the total number of citizens. The plan’s development, implementation, and completion will be within a period not exceeding seven years, and oblige the concerned authorities to link educational outcomes with the targeted percentages in the plan to bridge the deficit in the labor market of Kuwaiti labor. In addition, expat workers will be replaced with Kuwaiti labor by a rate of no less than ten percent annually in the government sector, and a percentage of not less than five percent in the private sector for a period of five years.
The Studies and Research Department in the Research and Information Sector of the National Assembly prepared a study on Kuwait’s demographics previously recommending the establishment of an independent general authority for employment to be affiliated with the Prime Minister, titled “The National Committee for Regulating and Managing Demographics”. According to the study, among its objectives is to develop a labor policy in the state, determine the actual needs of the required specializations from foreign workers, and set regulations and laws for expat workers.
In addition, among its tasks is to also solve all problems related to the legal, financial and humanitarian aspects of expat workers, and hold the institutions and companies that bring in foreign workers accountable, as well as submit periodic reports to the executive and legislative authorities in which they assess the employment situation and the variables.
The study claimed that the increase in expat labor, the majority of which is marginal labor, has many security and social observations, and the study was based on the main objectives limited to increasing the gross domestic product and raising the standard of living of citizens, among others. With regard to the development of population policies, the plan mainly aims at regulating population growth, both Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti, in a way that improves the demographic composition for the benefit of citizens. It also seeks to improve the labor force in the public and private sectors and deal with population policies.
Moreover, the plan aims to address issues of developing, qualifying and training the national workforce to support the development of trained locals, as well as improving the quality and productivity of expat workers, in addition to preserving the reputation of the country. The report mentioned that the process of national development has resulted in an increase demand for the labor force in the past, and with the small size of the Kuwaiti population, as well as the scarce supply of the national labor force, the general policy of the state tended to facilitate the recruitment and employment of expat labor to compensate for the deficiencies to meet the requirements of the economic expansion, infrastructural development, social services and related activities, disrupting the labor market.
Read Today's News TODAY... on our Telegram Channel click here to join and receive all the latest updates t.me/thetimeskuwait
