Kuwait plans to cut expat numbers by 1 million

Posted by: Not an expat Tuesday, 2 April 2013 1:34 PM[UAE] - GCC

Yay! Lets keep up the racism, its finally working, we are getting negative worldwide media attention at last, and making ourselves look unfriendly and unaccepting of visitors. About time! Maybe all those horrible ungrateful incompetent lazy expats who escaped their dysfunctional countries wont want to come here anymore. Keep up the good work! Its up to us to make a stand! Our ancestors would be proud of us doing something about this invasion by the enemy.

Posted by: MrSomalia Wednesday, 27 March 2013 9:12 AM[UAE] - Somali Republic

My uncle lives in Kuwait and is on six figure (Software Engineer with more than 15 years experience working in the West before moving to Kuwait, co-owned software firm with Chinese man).

As a Somali, when it comes to Gulf----you guys know UAE is our second home. We are all about business and UAE speaks our language. It made so far so many Somali millionaires and billionaires will come from UAE or in Somalia (if petroleum is explored).

Kuwait is our second choice. Emir Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah is a great man and he has deep connections to Somalia and the Somali people. He used to own several farms and holiday homes near Mogadishu before the war. Today he has holiday estate in the north. He funds hospitals, airports...he is making a difference.

He has good intentions for Kuwait but you need skilled and multi-cultural people in order to maintain harmony. Somalia collapsed because we are one race with one mind.

Posted by: Majd Wednesday, 27 March 2013 12:29 PM[UAE] - UAE

MrSomalia - Please read Ahmed's comment below. Until Kuwait builds a new airport, upgrades their national carrier, (which is a representation of the Kuwait government's status overseas every time it lands on foreign soil), this country is nothing. Airports are the gateway to any nation, and if you recall, one of the first steps in the development plan for Dubai was Terminal 1 and Emirates Airlines, which is one of the best carriers in the world, so you can talk all day long on what land the Kuwait rulers own in your nation, but it is the implementation of a development plan that will put Kuwait back on the GCC map, right now it is stagnant.

Posted by: Oldtimer Tuesday, 26 March 2013 11:38 AM[UAE] - UAE

Kuwait should look at its GCC brothers/sisters eg. UAE, in particular Dubai, to learn how WISE leadership constantly innovates and creates new industries and projects that draws talent from all over the world. They make it attractive for businesses to set up companies. They have huge infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels) projects, hospitality upgrades, man-made tourist attractions, international conference facilities, world-class transportation projects etc. They have dedicated employees (local & expat) who are constantly on the move across the world exploring avenues for cooperation/partnership to develop untapped markets, work hard to develop first class airlines that become standard bearers in the industry. These are TRUE LEADERS! Not just be content to sit atop their oil reserves like it will last for ever! Then when people complain about unemployment, pick on the expats as their cause for all woes! Pathetic!

Posted by: procan Tuesday, 26 March 2013 2:43 PM[UAE] - canada

Kuwait is a easy target for take over, watch out out for predators Kuwait you are vulnerable.

Posted by: Ahmed Tuesday, 26 March 2013 1:36 PM[UAE] - UAE

A new airport is step one in the development process for Kuwait, if the government really cared. In the region, other governments realized that and have begun construction EXCEPT Kuwait. Oman is building a new $1.8 billion passenger terminal complex at Muscat International Airport in Oman. Dubai Airports opened, on 13 January 2013, Concourse A, the world?s first A380 facility at Dubai International?s Terminal. Dubai has completed terminal 4. Jordan?s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) will open its new terminal on March 21st,a move that is expected to almost triple the airport?s capacity. Foster and Partners, who also designed an airport for Kuwait that has never been built, designed this terminal for Jordan. Hamad International Airport in Qatar is scheduled to open on 1 April 2013. Kuwait is segregating hospitals and has never started construction on a new airport, which can no longer handle the passenger levels, and was voted the most unwelcoming nation for tourists.

Posted by: Jama Tuesday, 26 March 2013 10:38 AM[UAE] - Somalia

The whole country's economy will collapse and foreign investors will panic since Kuwaitis are not skilled to fill up the vacuum.

Whether they like it or not they depend on foreigners until eternity unless they introduce skill revolutionary practices fast like Japan a century ago.

Posted by: Oldtimer Monday, 25 March 2013 12:54 PM[UAE] - UAE

All the local owned residential buildings empty, retail spaces operated by by expats vacant, telecom revenues plummeting, Airlines flying almost empty having to cull many routes, car sales plummeting, hypermarket sales dropping and much more !!!!
Whose revenues do you think suffer in such a scenario?
No more nannies, drivers, grocers, mechanics, cleaners etc!!!! Whose lifestyle do you think suffers?
If the leadership is bereft of ideas to kickstart progress and development that has direct & indirect benefit for locals and expats, the country will be heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources. Eventually the government sector which employs majority of locals with social welfare handouts won't have enough resources to keep the increasing local population happy. You will then have the perfect recipe for an Arab Spring style revolt. Is it so difficult for people to comprehend the folly of such ill-conceived plans?!!!!

Posted by: jay Tuesday, 26 March 2013 4:29 PM[UAE] - kuwait

well said oldtimer and as for Qatari who will fill the void by expats leaving and the loss of sales if 1million leave and each spends min 5000 a year on housing food travel etc then thats 5 billion a yr min lost to the market

Posted by: Qatari Tuesday, 26 March 2013 11:40 AM[UAE] - Qatar

That's exactly what would expats say so they will not be replaced by locals.