Domestic labor market expected to witness a breakthrough

KUWAIT CITY, May 30: The domestic labor market is expected to witness a breakthrough in terms of the number of domestic workers hired from the Philippines; especially after Kuwait Airways Corporation doubled the number of direct flights from Manila recently, reports Al-Jarida daily. Chairman of Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO) Khaled Al-Dakhnan revealed that the union is in direct and continuous contact with the officials in charge of the ‘Belsalamah’ platform to ensure that the number of direct flights transporting domestic workers from the Philippines will increase from two to five per month in order to address the acute shortage of workers. He pointed out the domestic labor market has been suffering for about 18 months due to the suspension of the recruitment process. He affirmed that this week and in the next two weeks, the local recruitment offices will start receiving a large number of domestic workers from the Philippines.

“This came after the Labor Export Union in Manila approved our request to review the rules and regulations that could delay the recruitment process, as well as to quickly find solutions to speed up the arrival of these workers in Kuwait,” he disclosed. He added, “The Labor Export Union in Manila also approved our request to exclude workers coming to Kuwait from the requirement to complete a training course in a specialized governmental institute if they have not worked in any of the Gulf countries before and for them to undergo training in private institutions. In this manner, more workers will be recruited.” He then urged the citizens and expatriates planning to recruit domestic workers from the Philippines to strictly comply with the terms of the tripartite employment contract. He called on the owners of domestic labor offices to adhere to the recruitment fees specified by the Ministry of Commerce, while stressing the need for citizens and expatriates to immediately report violations related to the recruitment fees through the ministry’s hotline number 135.