COVID-19: Kuwait rules out imminent return of domestic workers

Cairo: There are no signs that Kuwait will soon end a ban on flights from countries exporting domestic workers, a unionist said in remarks published today.

Last month, Kuwait announced suspending flights from dozens of countries due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. Those countries include India, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Head of the Union for Owners of Recruitment Offices for Domestic Workers Khaled Al Dokhnan said that the union has repeatedly addressed the Kuwaiti Public Authority of Manpower as well as the interior and foreign ministries on resuming the issuance of visas for domestic workers, without getting an answer yet.

“It is necessary to resume issuing visas for recruiting domestic workers in view of the market shortage due to a seven-month halt,” Al Dokhnan told Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida.

Contracts of most domestic workers currently in Kuwait have expired and they want to return home, he said without giving specific figures. There was no official comment on his remarks.

Foreigners account for nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait’s 4.8 million population.