KUWAIT CITY, Aug 22: The new budget for the fiscal year (2020/2021) has witnessed freezing of about 1183 job contracts of expats in 48 government agencies which is in preparation for their cancellation due to Kuwaitization policy.

The number of contracts that were frozen in 15 ministries reached 626 jobs for expatriates, the highest was in the Ministry of Electricity and Water by 130 contracts, followed by the Ministry of Health with 123 contracts, then Ministry of Education with 101 contracts, and then Justice Ministry with 84 contracts, followed by the Ministry of Interior with 70 contracts, the Awqaf with 48 contracts, and the Ministry of Communication with 33 contracts.

In the Ministry of Public Works 15 contracts have been suspended, in the Finance Ministry 7 contracts. 4 each in the Ministry of Higher Education and Social Affairs, 3 in the Ministry of Planning and 1 each in the Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Defense.

49 contracts have been frozen in 8 Govt department, including 20 in National Assembly, 16 in Audit Bureau, 6 in National Council for Culture Arts & Literature, 2 each in Central Statistics Bureau and National Guard and 1 each in General Secretariat of Endowments and the Fatwa and Legislation Department and in Kuwait Customs.

17 Government subcontracting agencies witnessed freezing 429 jobs, including 260 in Kuwait University, 65 in Kuwait Municipality, 21 in Civil Information, 18 in Agriculture and Fisheries, 12 in Food, 10 in Applied, 9 in Sports, 7 in investment, 6 in Environment, 5 in Anti-Corruption, 4 in Holy Quran Committee, 3 in Disability affairs 2 each in Ministry of Youth affairs and Finance Investigations, 1 each in Ministry of Manpower and Public Authority of Minors Affairs, in addition to freezing 79 jobs in 8 other independent bodies.