KUWAIT CITY, Sept 18: The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has denied reports circulating in some media outlets and on social media regarding an increase in domestic workers’ salaries. PAM clarified that no official decision has been issued to date by the relevant government authorities. It emphasized that the information published on this matter is completely unfounded, stressing that any decisions or procedures related to wages or recruitment contracts are only issued through official channels that are clearly and reliably announced. PAM urged the public to verify information and avoid spreading or acting on rumors. In other news, Head of the Kuwaiti Union of Domestic Labor Offices Khaled Al-Dakhnan affirmed that the union is calling for the opening of new markets and the recruitment of workers from alternative countries to meet the needs of Kuwaiti families and ensure stability in the domestic labor market.

In a press statement, Al-Dakhnan explained that setting the salaries of Ethiopian female domestic workers in Kuwait at KD 110-120 constitutes a clear violation of the agreement signed with the Ethiopian side. The agreement explicitly states that matters related to salaries and commissions are internal affairs and must not be subject to interference by any external party. These imposed salaries apply only to the Kuwaiti market, while other countries are permitted to recruit Ethiopian domestic workers at salaries not exceeding KD 90. The union has contacted the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) regarding these violations.

Al-Dakhnan stressed the importance of labor-exporting countries adhering to the terms of signed agreements and not imposing special conditions exclusively on Kuwait. He emphasized that opening new markets for domestic workers has become an urgent necessity to avoid further shortages and to ensure that the needs of families continue to be met. Al-Dakhnan also urged Kuwaiti authorities to contact their counterparts in the Philippines to reopen the recruitment of domestic workers who have previously worked in Kuwait, in addition to allowing the recruitment of new workers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) has introduced a new service through the Unified Government Application for E-Services (Sahel) that allows users to check the possibility of recruiting a domestic worker. According to a Thursday press release, this service enables applicants to verify if a visa has already been issued for the same domestic worker before starting the recruitment process, helping to prevent duplicate applications or rejections.

By Fares Ghaleb
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff