Panel Passes Labour Law Amendments in Favour of Expats in Kuwait

For the longest time, a lot of onlookers, outsiders, and rights groups have seen Kuwait as “anti-expat” based on how the government has dealt its hand in establishing laws and initiatives that do not seem to do more for the huge expat community living in the Gulf state as opposed to what is expected of them.

Furthermore, with stringent requirements aimed to curb the entry and stay of expat workers, even visitors in the country, many jobseekers and professionals have frowned at their diminishing chances of getting into Kuwait, if at all.

Panel Passes Labour Law Amendments in Favour of Expats in Kuwait
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Kuwait Expats to Receive More Benefits thru Labour Law Amendments

However, with the National Assembly’s motion to pass amendments to the private sector’s labour law with unanimous vote along with the government’s approval, there is renewed hope to see more benefits such as an increase in pay and annual leaves, affecting even expats in the said sector, as shared in a report by the Kuwait Times.

According to the report, the amendments to the private sector labour law will be the first law to be issued by the National Assembly in favour of expats in nine years.

Part of the provisions of this law is to increase the annual leave days of some 1.7 million expats working in the private sector to 40 days, as well as an increase in their monthly salaries and indemnity by 15%.

The law is among the conciliatory measures by the government and Parliament to enhance legislative support despite fears aired by financial bodies that such a decision will raise the cost of labour in Kuwait, and bring about more strain for some companies.

However, for those in the private sector, especially for expats, this is exactly a move (albeit positive) by the government that looks to appease the growing burdens of those who work and live here, especially for those who poured in many years to help grow Kuwait’s economy but are threatened to lose everything they have invested due to the outpouring of measures that seem to drive them off the State for good.

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