Kuwait's Interior Ministry has issued a new directive significantly tightening regulations on the recruitment of domestic workers. The new rules, which came into effect recently, ban the hiring of domestic workers from 27 countries while restricting new recruitment to just 10 approved nations.
The decision follows recommendations from various government bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Public Authority for Manpower. This move is part of Kuwait's broader effort to enhance oversight and streamline administrative procedures within the domestic labor sector.
Approved Recruitment Sources
Under the updated regulations, domestic workers can now be recruited from the following ten countries:
- South Africa
- Benin
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- The Philippines
- Sri Lanka
- India
- Vietnam
- Nepal
- Senegal (restricted to male workers only)
Recruitment processes for these approved nationalities will be managed through Kuwait's governorates.
Banned Countries List
The directive explicitly prohibits the recruitment of domestic workers from a list of 27 nations. These include:
- Asian Countries: Madagascar, Bhutan
- African Countries: Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola
For certain countries on this banned list, the restrictions apply specifically to female domestic workers, with the recruitment of male workers still permitted.
New Digital Services and Sponsorship Rules
In a related development, the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Public Authority for Manpower and its IT sector, has rolled out a new digital service. Citizens and expatriates can now manage domestic worker and driver-related services online through the unified government application, "Sahel." This initiative is part of a wider digital transformation strategy aimed at simplifying government transactions and reducing the need for in-person visits to service centers.
Alongside these changes, updated sponsorship rules have also been introduced:
- Single Women: Eligible to sponsor one domestic worker.
- Married, Divorced, or Widowed Women with Children: May sponsor one domestic worker and one driver.
- Married, Divorced, or Widowed Men with Families: Can sponsor up to three domestic workers and one driver.
- Single Men: Eligible to sponsor one driver only.
These revised rules are intended to better regulate domestic labor categories, ensure equitable access to services, and strengthen digital governance across Kuwaiti government platforms.