Kuwait keen on replacing expats with national manpower: Minister

KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Economic Development Hind Al-Sabeeh stressed Kuwait’s keenness on replacing expatriates with national manpower in various sectors in order to resolve the demographic imbalance.

Speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony held to honor the participants of the 4th meeting of the GCC labor and social affairs committees, Sabeeh said that GCC states exchange experiences in replacing expats with citizens and noted that the door was open for GCC labor to move around GCC states according to their qualifications.

Responding to a question about the joint GCC market, Sabeeh stressed that it is a GCC demand and is still subject to studies. Besides labor ministries, the proposal also involves other ministries.

The GCC Secretariat’s assistant secretary for economic affairs Khalifa Al-Ebri hailed Kuwait’s efforts n hosting the 4th meeting of the GCC social affairs and labor ministers. Also speaking on the occasion, Omniya Company CEO Sana Al-Qimlas thanked the companies that provided job opportunities for citizens.

Separately, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) gave some ministries 15 days to hand over lists of employees’ percentages that were prepared for 2019/2020. Informed sources said the lists sent by the CSC shows the number of expats allowed to work in each state department. T

he sources said the commission will take the necessary action to cancel contracts of non-Kuwaiti employees as part of the ‘Kuwaitization’ policy if the ministries do not send their comments on the lists within this period.