Kuwait has ranked as the “worst country for expats” in a recent report by the InterNations’ 2023 Expat Insider.
Kuwait was identified as the worst country for expatriates to live and work in among 53 destinations.
The report assesses countries based on various parameters, including quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finance, and expat essentials.
The country’s poor performance in the InterNations’ 2023 Expat Insider ranking is consistent with its decade-long trend of dismal results, the report said.
Kuwait “consistently” ranked as the one among worst countries
Malte Zeeck, the founder of InterNations, expressed his concerns about Kuwait’s consistent poor ranking and said: “Kuwait not only placed last in both 2022 and 2023, but it has consistently ranked among the worst-rated countries for the past decade.”
The report reveals that Kuwait ranks last globally for quality of life, with expats particularly dissatisfied with their leisure options.
Moreover, almost half of the expats surveyed feel unable to openly express themselves and their opinions, which is more than triple the global average.
In addition, the country’s healthcare system falls short in terms of availability, affordability, and quality.
The report also highlights the country’s low rankings in categories such as local friendliness, finding friends, culture, and welcome, which contribute to its position at the bottom of the ease of settling in index.
Regarding working abroad, Kuwait ranks 48th, with many expats expressing dissatisfaction with their salaries and the lack of flexibility in the local work culture.
In terms of expat essentials and personal finance, Kuwait also performs poorly, with only 34 percent of expats being content with the general cost of living.
However, there are some positives, as expats find it relatively easy to secure housing and live without speaking the local language.
Overall, the report states that only 43 percent of expats in Kuwait are happy with their lives, significantly lower than the global average of 72 percent.
The country’s low level of satisfaction across various factors contributes to its overall ranking as the worst country for expatriates.
Bahrain best country for expats in GCC
Bahrain emerged as the best country for expats in the GCC states, ranking ninth overall.
The UAE topped the top 15 best countries for expats to live in, followed by Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
The annual Expat Insider survey, which considered responses from over 12,000 expats representing 171 nationalities living in 172 countries or territories, highlighted Mexico as the top destination for expats, followed by Spain, Panama, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
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