Kuwait Cracking Down On Expat Professionals Yet Again

Kuwait continues with plans to replace 25,000 expat employees, but needs expat teachers in a variety of specialities.

According to local media, Kuwait’s human resources committee is urging the emirate’s government to give the go-ahead for the replacement this year of 25,000 expat workers by citizens, plus the same numbers next year. In addition, expats who lose their jobs as a result will not be rehired on monthly salaries. The only sectors exempted from the ruling would be MOH and MOE, due to a lack of qualified Kuwaitis in both specialities.

At the same time, the emirate has announced it needs qualified male teachers in a variety of specialities including Biology, Geology, Science, French, English, Physics, Chemistry and Math as well as female teachers in the fields of Crafts and Music. Teachers already in the emirate may apply provided they have the relevant university degrees. Any remaining shortage will be made up with teachers from Jordan and Palestine, with a total of around 500 teaching jobs up for grabs.

Expat engineers are another category under investigation, with those whose university degrees were not authorised by the relevant organisation facing problems. Kuwait’s engineering society will oversee the qualifications of all expat engineers employed in the sector, with those failing the test unable to get licenses to work. In addition, expat engineers working in all specialities must now pass tests set by the engineering society before their work permits can be approved.