Kuwait looks to cut reliance on expat workers

EXPAT JOBS: Kuwait to reduce jobs for expats in bid to improve unemployment problem among nationals. (Getty Images)

Kuwait plans to reduce its reliance on expatriate workers by stopping the recruitment of foreigners in the public sector.

In a bid to raise living standards in the country the Kuwaiti government launched its five-year development plan that covers employment, education and housing needs.

More job opportunities for nationals in the private sector will be introduced and the number of expat public sector workers will be cut from 15,000 to 8,000, according to a report in the Kuwait Times.

The paper reported expats will not be recruited for public sector jobs, except in some areas, although it did not say which jobs this includes.

The government scheme also includes increasing school hours and beginning a process of gradually privatising more than 30 schools. Independent universities will also be set up by the Ministry of Higher Education.

More hospitals and medical centres will be built to meet growing health demands and the paper reported that a study about separating Kuwaiti citizens from expatriates in hospitals and medical centers is being carried out.

Housing waiting lists will also be cut, according to the plan.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Imbalanced Factor of Labour in GCC
Posted by Philbert Suresh, Academic Professional, TLC Chennai Project Office, India on Monday 16 November 2009 at 07:27 UAE time


As public sector is trying to reduce number of employees, the development in job market is just the opposite in the private enterprises. I believe that private sector is more conscious of the business and profit gains they make in the process.

i-FUN (intrrlligent Friends in the University)
TLC Office in Toronto / Canada

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Posted by Kevin on Wednesday 24 June 2009 at 15:36 UAE time


I agree with Mike.
If the current local work ethics are incorporated in private companies, the lack of skill will eventually force private companies to shut down their businesses and take them else where. The problem is not the expat community - the problem are the locals (with a few exceptions ofcourse) who are living surreal lives.
Local businessmen are goal oriented & hardworking; big middle eastern companies are proof of their constant and aged efforts. They are aware of their local talents which make them more like adamant than reluctant to hire local talents.

KUWAIT CUST RELIANCE ON EXPAT WORKERS
Posted by Mike, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 23 June 2009 at 11:11 UAE time


When will GCC governments ever realise that the key to solving unemployment amongst their nationals does not lie only in offering more government jobs. They need to tackle the employability of their own people to make them competitive in the private sector. Once the economy recovers there will be a talent shortage in certain sectors so the need right now is to train the local population in these much needed areas ( technical skills particularly ) but more importantly the nationals need to drop the chip on their shoulder about the stigma they see as being attached to an honest days work. They need to gain the work ethic that is so badly lacking in the vast majority of them. Anyone who tries to deny this is an issue is not living in the real world. Only by admitting this is an issue will it ever be possible to rectify it.

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