The pandemic has displaced many workers both domestic and overseas. This change has affected the market greatly, affecting the cost of labor in countries such as Kuwait and the Middle East.
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Recently, the Kuwaiti market has begun to employ Filipino domestic helpers to meet demand. However, because of the great demand for these workers, the cost of recruitment has inevitably increased, as well.
High Demand for Filipino Domestic Helpers Pushes Rise in Recruitment Costs in Kuwait
According to Times Kuwait, the recruitment of domestic workers from the Philippines began recently, and the demand for them in the Kuwaiti market has resulted in a major increase in recruitment costs.
According to reports, the cost of hiring Filipino domestic workers is currently between 1,400 KWD and 1,600 KWD (4647 USD – 5311 USD). This includes the administrative cost, as well as costs for institutional quarantine, a plane ticket, and PCR tests.
The sponsor is responsible for these expenses. However, if he decides to bring the domestic worker to Kuwait without going through an agency, the total cost will be 890 KWD. He must also safeguard the worker’s passport. Directly hiring a foreign domestic worker, on the other hand, provides no guarantee on the worker if she decides to flee her employer or refuses to work.
Following a reduction in the number of flights from the Philippines to Kuwait from May 2021, the recruitment of Filipino workers has restarted. There are presently ten scheduled trips for September, and this number is projected to grow as Kuwait’s demand for domestic employees continues to increase.
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