KUWAIT CITY, June 15: Bassam Al-Shammari, an expert in domestic labor affairs, has raised concerns about an impending crisis in the coming months due to the absence of alternative export markets for domestic workers. With a significant and continuous demand for domestic workers, Kuwait may face severe shortages.

Al-Shammari highlighted that Kuwait's annual requirement for female domestic workers ranges from 420,000 to 450,000, while the demand for male domestic workers reaches around 360,000, reports Al Rai. The expansion of urban areas contributes to the higher demand for male domestic workers.

The crisis is expected to become evident in the last quarter of this year as many contracts of domestic workers in Kuwait expire, and there may be reluctance among workers to renew their contracts for an additional two years.

Presently, there is a shortage of English-speaking labor due to neighboring countries offering higher wages than the specified recruitment prices set for Kuwait. Al-Shammari described the recruitment conditions from various labor-exporting countries:

• Philippines: New visa issuance suspended.
• Ethiopia: Recruitment suspended pending a bilateral agreement.
• India: Difficulty in obtaining domestic workers for women but easier for men.
• Indonesia: Recruitment suspended since 2008.
• Nepal: No agreement between the two countries; recruitment of domestic workers is through India or Dubai.
• Bangladesh: Recruitment suspended.
• Sri Lanka: Available for recruitment.