KUWAIT CITY, March 9: The country is facing a worsening crisis related to the shortage of domestic workers, with official statistics revealing a significant decline in their numbers. The latest data from the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) shows a decrease of 30,377 domestic workers over the past year and a half. By the end of December 2024, the total number of domestic workers in Kuwait reached approximately 780,930; compared to 811,307 in mid-2023.

In an interview with the newspaper; Hamad Al-Ali, an official at the Domestic Workers Recruitment Office, attributed this decline to several factors. He pointed out the reluctance of some Asian countries to send workers to Kuwait due to the imposition of fees on workers before their arrival. He added the well-known issue of Filipino domestic workers has contributed to the situation. “Furthermore, some Kuwaiti families have opted for fewer domestic workers following a series of incidents involving domestic workers committing crimes against children and wives in recent years,” he stated.

Al-Ali also referred to the increasing demand for domestic workers in the Gulf region, with many workers choosing to migrate to other countries due to the competitive job market. “Another factor contributing to the decline is Kuwait’s restrictions on certain Asian nationalities, which has further limited the availability of workers,” he said. He went on to note that the number of licensed domestic worker recruitment offices in Kuwait has reached around 450 despite the ongoing challenges in replenishing the workforce.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff