Gulf Country Bans Recruitment of Domestic Workers From 27 Nations, Announces New Rules
- Kuwait's Ministry of Interior has taken a tough stance, limiting the recruitment of domestic workers to only 10 approved countries
- The ministry, in a circular, also announced a complete ban on 27 others, including Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The new rules, as announced by Kuwait, come as part of measures being taken by many Gulf countries regarding the recruitment of workers
Kuwait has made changes to its domestic worker recruitment regulations.
This comes after the wealthy Gulf nation listed only 10 countries with approval to be hired for domestic service jobs.
Source: Getty Images
A report by Gulf News announced that a circular issued by Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said the decision to implement these sweeping measures forms part of efforts to regulate the domestic labour sector, strengthen oversight, and streamline recruitment procedures.
Per the report, the decision was arrived at based on observations and recommendations from several government bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Public Authority for Manpower.
Countries approved for domestic worker recruitment
Delving into details, the circular released by the Kuwaiti Ministry mentioned 10 countries, excluding Ghana, from which domestic workers (male and female) can be recruited.
In the case of Senegal, it explained that recruitment is limited to male workers only.
Source: Getty Images
The approved countries by the Kuwait Interior Ministry include South Africa, Benin, Senegal (male only), Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, and Nepal.
The hiring processes for domestic workers from these approved countries are now being handled by local government offices in Kuwait.
The circular has listed 27 countries where the recruitment of domestic workers is prohibited. The list includes:
Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Senegal, and Bhutan.
What is the significance of this decision for African domestic workers?
Kuwait has been a preferred destination for African migrant workers seeking employment as house helpers, nannies, drivers, and cleaners.
The ban also stems from broader trends in Gulf labour markets, where countries have enacted labour laws to address concerns about worker exploitation and compliance with health and safety standards.
The new rule by Kuwait comes on the back of a decision taken by Saudi Arabia months earlier, announcing that specific jobs are to be reserved for its citizens, effectively preventing foreign workers, including Ghanaians, from being recruited into these roles.
Lady in Saudi Arabia cries over hardship
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a young Ghanaian lady who travelled to Saudi Arabia opened up about her struggles.
Looking visibly sad, she appeared in a video crying in a car as she made it known in the video's caption that living in the Gulf country came with challenges.
She advised those with plans to relocate to Gulf countries not to assume they would not encounter hardship once they landed in the Middle East.
Source: YEN.com.gh
