Despite the success in hiring domestic workers from the Philippines, the situation for expats is different. Expatriates must now receive sponsor clearance and have a minimum salary of KD 2500 in order to hire Filipino domestic employees.
While some were surprised to learn that expatriate families were not permitted to bring house maids from the Philippines, the Philippine ambassador to the country, H E Mohamed Noureddine Lomondot, confirmed that no decision has been made to reject the requests of expatriates living in Kuwait, but the permission is subject to several conditions.
Expats Now Require Approval of Sponsors to Work as Domestic Helpers
He stated that among the additional documents required of non-Kuwaitis is a certificate from the resident’s sponsor stating that he does not object to the expat sponsoring the domestic worker from the Philippines, as well as another certificate of his salary to determine his ability to fulfill the obligations, with the caveat that his request may be denied if his salary is low, the Arab Times Online reported.
Lomondot stated that the embassy does not discriminate, but that these requirements were put in place to avoid what happened in previous years. Some residents forced domestic servants to work in countries other than Kuwait, without informing the embassy or obtaining the workers’ approval.
Following a hiatus, the embassy has resumed endorsed recruitment contracts reached between offices hiring Filipino domestic workers and prospective foreign employers residing in Kuwait, provided these contracts meet certain stipulations, according to Al Jarida newspaper, which cited owners of recruitment offices.
According to the report, these stipulations include the requirement that the monthly minimum salary of a foreign resident wishing to employ a Filipino worker be KD2,500, a work permit in English issued by the Public Authority for Manpower, and a signed pledge from the owner of the recruitment office to bear the worker’s salary if the employer violates the contract’s stipulations.
After a Filipino domestic worker was sexually abused and killed by her employer, the Philippines imposed a ban on sending new domestic workers to Kuwait in January 2020.
READ NEXT: Here are the New Conditions to Refund Fees for Kuwaitis, Domestic Helpers on Belsalamah Platform