KUWAIT CITY, Feb 3: Pakistan said Sunday it is ready to sign a labor cooperation agreement with Kuwait, potentially during a visit by the Kuwaiti crown prince, as both countries seek to expand employment opportunities for Pakistani workers in the Gulf.

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain conveyed the commitment during a meeting with Eng. Rabab Abdullah Mazid Al-Osaimi, director general of Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), according to a statement posted by the minister on X.

Hussain said Pakistan “views its long-standing and strong relations with Kuwait with great respect” and expressed readiness to finalize a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on labor during the crown prince’s visit, although an exact date for the trip has not been announced.

The meeting reviewed recent high-level exchanges and a constructive response from Kuwaiti authorities toward expanding labor cooperation. Hussain also requested access to Kuwait’s PAM digital portal, the government-run system for processing foreign worker recruitment, work permits, and employer registrations.

Access to the PAM portal would allow Pakistani authorities and licensed overseas employment promoters to interface directly with Kuwait’s labor system, helping streamline recruitment, reduce delays, and curb illegal or informal hiring practices.

Hussain highlighted the historical contribution of Pakistani workers to Kuwait’s development and said they are well-positioned to meet future demand, particularly in infrastructure and other key sectors.

Both sides agreed to advance labor cooperation in line with strong bilateral ties and to institutionalize regular consultations and contacts, the statement added.

Pakistan has been seeking to formalize labor frameworks with Gulf partners to expand skilled and semi-skilled employment channels, strengthen worker protections, improve transparency in overseas recruitment, and stabilize remittance inflows amid domestic economic pressures.