Manama: Kuwait’s government could take steps to address the demographic imbalance based on recommendations in a report on the country’s population.
The report recommended a decision to impose a cap on the number of nationals coming from specific countries who could be allowed to work or live in Kuwait.
Most of these nationals are marginal labourers who have no fixed jobs or steady income, but are affecting the local economy and causing social pressure.
Local daily Kuwait Times said that Egypt was among the nations whose citizens are recruited in large numbers and are affecting the labour market.
“Egyptians now number 700,000, with a majority of them being marginal labourers,” the report said, the daily reported on Thursday.
The report suggested reducing the number of Egyptian marginal labourers while monitoring manpower offices involved in human trafficking.
Another recommendation is to reduce the number of Egyptian teachers who are recruited annually to work in Kuwait.
Under the recommendation, only 200 teachers, down from 500, should be hired annually for school jobs.
The education ministry could make up the difference by hiring teachers from countries that do not have large communities in Kuwait, including Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco, the daily added.
The report also suggested limiting the recruitment of Indian manpower to technical jobs, such as engineers, nurses and oil sector workers.
Indians make up the largest community of expatriates in Kuwait.
Foreigners make up around two-thirds of the country’s total population of 3.3 million people.
