KUWAIT CITY, Oct 27: More than 20 days have passed since the issuance of Decree No. (174) of 2024, which approved a Memorandum of Understanding on the employment of domestic workers between the governments of Kuwait and Ethiopia. However, the recruitment process remains "in a state of stasis," with no significant developments that would expedite the arrival of these workers into the country.

Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in domestic workers’ affairs, noted that the slow pace of government procedures and the Ministry of Interior's failure to officially announce the opening of visas for Ethiopian domestic workers have hindered recruitment efforts from Addis Ababa. He urged relevant government agencies to complete all pending procedures to facilitate the recruitment process as soon as possible.

Local offices are currently awaiting the opening of visas to initiate the completion of the initial recruitment contracts, commonly referred to as "job orders," from the Ethiopian side. Al-Shammari expressed optimism, anticipating strong demand from Kuwaiti and expatriate families for these workers. He cited several factors, including the low cost of bringing in Ethiopian workers—estimated not to exceed 750 dinars—and the limited number of countries from which Kuwait can source domestic workers.

According to Al-Shammari, the introduction of Ethiopian domestic workers is timely, especially given Kuwait's current reliance on only two countries for worker exports and the recent lifting of the ban on experienced Filipino workers, excluding new arrivals. He indicated that this situation has led to a significant loss, approximately 70 percent, of the domestic workforce that previously entered the country.

Al-Shammari emphasized the need for government agencies to address any prior shortcomings in the rights of domestic workers and to enforce laws rigorously against violators. He stressed that ensuring the rights of domestic workers is crucial for a smooth recruitment process. Ethiopian workers are seen as the closest available alternative to alleviate the current shortage in the domestic labor market, noting that the number of Ethiopian workers in Kuwait peaked at about 76,000 female workers in 2013.