Kuwaitization gathers momentum: 50% of expats working for subcontracting firms to be laid off

KUWAIT CITY — Pink slips are already out for many expatriates working on contracts in Kuwaiti ministries, especially those employed in non-technical fields, as the country gradually returns to normal life after coronavirus lockdowns, Arab Times, an English-language newspaper, reported on Monday.

However, expatriates working as experts in the ministries will be terminated gradually in a way not affecting the workflow, according to the report.

It is expected that more than percent of expatriates working for subcontractors will be laid off in the next three months as Kuwaitization gathers momentum, the report stressed.

Meanwhile, all expatriates working directly in ministries will be terminated and many of them have already been shifted to companies which are subcontractors for government ministries, the report claimed.

Commenting on the development, the head of the Parliamentary Human Resources Development Committee, lawmaker Khalil Al-Saleh, said: “The committee has taken concrete steps to replace and correct the demographic problem. We will hold a meeting next week to prepare our report and submit data and statistics to the National Assembly,” the report added.

The lawmaker also called on the concerned government ministries to replace and accomplish what was agreed upon and expedite the work of rectifying imbalance, especially with regard to non-technical positions in the government sector that are occupied by expatriates.

He called on the civil Services commission to deal seriously according to a parliamentary resolution regarding the rules and procedures for government jobs in ministries, and to replace 100 percent of total workforce with Kuwaitis by terminating all expatriates, the report further added.