KUWAIT CITY, Sept 29: A new group of Filipino domestic workers is set to arrive in Kuwait tomorrow, following the arrival of the first batch earlier this month, according to Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in domestic workers' affairs and owner of a recruitment company. This incoming batch consists of approximately 50 female workers, with more expected to arrive in the coming days from Manila as part of an ongoing recruitment process.

Upon their arrival, the workers will complete the necessary entry procedures before being transferred to the Philippine Embassy, where Labor Attaché Atty. Manuel Dimao will officially welcome them. The workers will receive a brief orientation on their job roles and be informed about their rights and responsibilities as outlined by Kuwait's Domestic Workers Law No. 68 of 2015.

Al-Shammari told Al-Jarida that the steady influx of Filipino workers is addressing a long-standing shortage in Kuwait’s domestic labor market. The market has faced challenges for years, largely due to the absence of agreements with new labor-supplying countries. Other nationalities have struggled to fill the gap left by Filipino workers after a recruitment ban was imposed.

Currently, there are an estimated 200,000 Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait, making up 50% of the total domestic workforce. Al-Shammari emphasized the significant role these workers play in Kuwaiti and expatriate households, citing factors like ease of communication, education level, and familiarity with local customs and traditions as key reasons for their high demand.

Additionally, Al-Shammari noted that complaints from local recruitment offices about delays in processing paperwork with the Philippine Embassy have decreased. Embassy officials are reportedly working to speed up the approval of initial work contracts, or "JOB ORDERs," which will help boost the number of available workers. However, the Philippines is currently limiting recruitment to experienced workers who have previously worked in Kuwait, the Gulf States, or other countries, excluding new workers from recruitment efforts at this time.