Authority increases efforts to limit marginal labor, Kuwaitize jobs

KUWAIT: Informed sources at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) said that the employment sector is reviewing administrative decisions and circulars regarding organization of the marketplace in a way that helps the authorities enhance procedures and limit marginal labor. Sources said the revisions process will include amendment of some decisions so that the authority’s goals can be achieved, headed by replacing expatriate labor with Kuwaitis in the private and oil sectors and moving forward with small and medium projects.

Sources said work is being done to implement the authority’s plan to improve labor department buildings in some governorates, adding that a contract to build a new labor department in Hawally has been signed, while refurbishing of the Ahmadi building will be completed by the start of next year. Meanwhile, acting Director General of PAM Abdullah Al-Mutoutah said inspectors from the central inspection department will continue inspecting companies during the Eid AlAdha break.

18.9 percent

The latest statistics issued by several government departments show that there are 444,278 Kuwaitis working in the public and private sectors, while expatriates number 2,343,548, occupying 27 professions in both sectors. Citizens make up 18.9 percent of the total workforce in the country with a major presence in the public sector with a total of 268,085 workers distributed over 20 various professions - both administrative and service oriented, while there are 83,870 expats in various government departments. Kuwaitis make up the largest percentage of workers in the government, particularly in the engineering sector, as their total number is 40,533, while only 2,000 expats work there. The number of expats in the medical sector rose to more than 34,000 employees, with 23,000 nonArabs and 10,589 Arabs.