Kuwait offers incentives to encourage citizens to take private sector jobs

Cairo: The Kuwaiti government is considering incentives to encourage young Kuwaitis to take jobs in the private sector as part of its policy to replace foreigners with citizens.

The government is exploring options, primarily offering perks to employees and increasing the employment rate of Kuwaitis in the private sector, which currently stands at 4.4%, Al Qabas newspaper reported, citing an official source.

According to the source, the Kuwaiti government has directed competent state agencies to encourage citizens to work in non-government sectors, implement measures to promote job stability, and offer "appropriate" incentives to expand the "Kuwaitisation" of private sector jobs.

Additionally, greater emphasis is being placed on incentivising self-employment and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

The government has included a project in its development plan aimed at preparing the largest possible number of young Kuwaitis to work in the private sector, while highlighting its financial and career benefits, the source added.

"This project aims to establish six permanent centres and 34 temporary ones, with the goal of guiding at least 2,000 young job seekers annually toward the private sector," the source said.

In recent years, Kuwait has intensified efforts to create jobs for its citizens, replace foreign workers, and address the country's demographic imbalance.

Foreigners currently make up 3.3 million of Kuwait's 4.9 million population. Recent official figures show that the number of expatriates in Kuwait decreased by 8,845 by the end of June compared to January.

Kuwait has recently toughened measures against illegal foreign residents and warned that any expatriate found harbouring an illegal resident will also be deported.