KUWAIT CITY, Nov 15: The demand for private sector employment among Kuwaiti citizens has risen sharply in 2025, with applicants to private companies now representing 37 percent of all job seekers registered with the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) from January to mid-November. More than 6,200 citizens have applied for private sector roles during this period, compared to approximately 10,500 who opted for government jobs.

According to PAM statistics, interest in private sector employment increased by around 1,600 applications this year, a notable rise from the 4,562 applications recorded during the same period last year. This trend reflects a growing shift toward opportunities offered by private institutions and companies.

The total number of Kuwaiti citizens registered as job seekers for more than six months — unemployed individuals who do not receive pensions and are not enrolled in educational programs — has reached approximately 29,000.

The data further showed that the pool of job seekers includes:

The statistics also identified about 3,400 high school graduates, 54 percent of whom had completed additional study programs lasting two years or more. High school applicants were classified into four groups:

For citizens holding intermediate-level certificates, PAM divided them into five categories, with a combined total of about 2,400 individuals. Additionally, the records showed 78 applicants with vocational or parallel education qualifications, and 468 individuals holding certificates below the intermediate level.