‘Cutting down on number of expats will hurt economy’ – Officials rebuff rumors

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KUWAIT CITY, Dec 26: Officials from the Ministry of Planning have rebuffed rumors saying the State of Kuwait intends to reduce the number of expatriates as part of its plan to modify the population structure but confirmed that residency-law violators, criminals, and others who threaten security in the homeland will be deported, reports Al-Shahed daily.

The daily quoting sources noted the population of Kuwait is currently 4,231,226, constituting 1,306,892 citizens and 2,924,334 expatriates, and the figure is undemanding for a country seeking to attain growth in the near future.

They pointed out that the development plan of most countries depends on expatriates, and amending the population structure does not necessarily require the deportation of expatriates, as the step could wreak disaster in all aspects of the economy if expatriate workers such as drivers, domestic workers, and maids in the Kuwaiti houses are deported.

They explained that expatriates employed as drivers and domestic workers exceed 15 percent of the total population, and those working in the ministries and other government agencies, and security guards constitute about 20 percent, while the figure of those working at construction projects is approximately 15 percent.

Amid severe shortage in the number of workers in construction sector, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor recently opened the door for recruitment, they noted. They affirmed that the State issued decisions to stop the appointment of expatriates in the government institutions since last May, but the step will not contribute in solving the problem, especially as the ministries employs thousands of workers daily outside the services offered by Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Therefore, the State has decided to return to formal appointments to end chaos instigated through the ministries’ contracts. The sources noted that some ministries and government agencies have objected to the decision of halting the appointment of expatriates, indicating the Ministry of Education recently asked Civil Service Commission to open the door for appointment of expatriates, while the Ministry of Health has officially requested CSC for more than 3,000 workers to meet the needs of Jaber Hospital. They reiterated that CSC which suspended the ministries requests is run by a large number of expatriates who are considered to be the ‘fi rst and last’ decision makers.

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