KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Official statistics released by the Public Authority for Civil Information highlighted a significant decline in the number of national workers in Kuwait’s private sector over the past six months, from January to the end of June 2024.

The data revealed that the number of national workers in the private sector dropped to 72,086 by mid-2024, compared to 72,231 at the end of December 2023, marking a decrease of 145 workers. The government sector saw an increase in national workers, with numbers rising from 397,790 at the end of December 2023 to 404,395 by mid-2024, an increase of 6,605 workers. The statistics showed an increase in expatriate workers in the private sector.

Their numbers grew from 1,562,492 at the end of 2023 to 1,589,525 by mid-2024, reflecting an increase of 27,033 workers. Moreover, expatriate workers in the government sector increased from 111,147 at the end of last year to 112,002 by mid-2024. Khaled Al-Enezi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Union of Private Sector Workers, expressed concern over the decline in national workers in the private sector. He criticized the effectiveness of policies aimed at encouraging national employment in the private sector, labeling them as “ink on paper.”

Al-Enezi pointed out that the Public Authority for Manpower is merely observing the situation without taking action to address the increasing termination of citizens’ services and their dismissal without justification. He cited an instance where a telecommunications company terminated the services of 300 Kuwaitis. Al-Enezi also highlighted the strain on the state budget due to government employment. He revealed that the salaries item has increased by 40% in recent years, reaching 14.8 billion dinars in the 2024 budget, compared to 9.9 billion in 2015

By Najeh Bilal

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff