Statistics offer valuable insights into Kuwait’s labor market landscape
Statistics issued by the government institution shed light on the composition of Kuwait’s workforce across both the government and private sectors, revealing significant trends in employment distribution.
In the government sector, the education sector stands out as a major employer, with approximately 154,000 employees, constituting around a third of the total government workforce, which numbers approximately 471,000 employees. Following closely behind is the public administration and defense sector, with around 172.3 thousand employees, representing about 36.5% of the total, reports Al-Qabas daily.
Within the education sector, the data indicates that 128,000 Kuwaiti citizens are employed alongside 22.7 thousand non-Kuwaitis. Meanwhile, the health and social work sector accounts for about 8.7% of government employment, totaling approximately 41,000 employees, including 14.1 thousand Kuwaitis and 26.8 thousand non-Kuwaitis.
Shifting focus to the private sector, which boasts around 1.6 million employees, accommodation and food activities emerge as the most significant employer, employing 639 thousand individuals, representing 39.1% of the total private sector workforce.
The construction sector follows closely behind, employing 225 thousand workers, constituting around 13.85% of the private sector workforce. Manufacturing industries rank third, with approximately 163 thousand workers, while administrative and support services activities employ about 131 thousand employees. Wholesale and retail trade, along with vehicle repair activities, round out the top five, employing around 124 thousand individuals.
These statistics offer valuable insights into Kuwait’s labor market landscape, highlighting the prominence of the education sector in the government workforce and key sectors driving employment within the private sector. Understanding these trends is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders as they navigate strategies for workforce development and economic growth.
