Kuwait govt OKs ‘Al-Durra’ for recruiting domestics from India
Officials to sign deals with 6 state-govt okayed agencies in India
KUWAIT CITY, July 4: The recruitment of Indian domestic workers by Kuwaiti employers is gaining momentum as formalities are being worked out by the Kuwait government approved recruiting agency Al-Durra Company with the six state-government approved labor recruiting agencies in India, according to a senior Indian Embassy official.
The official added, by the end of this month those wishing to hire Indian domestic workers will be able to do so depending on how fast the modalities are being worked out by both sides.
The Ambassador of India to Kuwait, His Excellency K. Jeeva Sagar is exerting strenuous efforts to ensure the firm ages-old friendly ties with Kuwait are not harmed by minor issues.
It is reliably learnt, the AlDurra Company officials are already in India to iron out the minor details for the smooth hiring of female domestic workers. It is said, the Al-Durra officials will sign deals with the six stategovernment approved labor recruiting agencies in India.
Once the domestic helper is hired, she will have a six-month period to get accustomed to the customs and traditions of Kuwait and the surrounding atmosphere and in case of a dispute or the unwillingness of the domestic helper to continue in service due to unforeseen circumstances, the worker will be repatriated to the home country at the expense of Al-Durra.
Pay
Moreover, the new recruits will not have to pay anything in India in terms of travel or medical charges all of which will be borne by the concerned recruiting agent. The contract that will be signed with Al-Durra will give the Indian mission in Kuwait access to a domestic worker in case of ‘dispute’ or otherwise through the Al-Durra Company which will be solely responsible for the safety and well being of the worker.
The hiring of Indian domestic helpers stopped following a dispute between the two friendly countries when the government of India demanded $2,500 bank guarantee from the employers that was in place since 2007 but was enforced by the then Indian envoy to Kuwait, Sunil Jain, in 2017.
When the Government of Kuwait rejected the demand saying it violated the country’s sovereignty and the issue was raised by MPs in Kuwait’s National Assembly, some of whom even called for stopping hiring of Indian workers, the Indian government later relented, did away with the guarantee, but as a way out of the quagmire the Indian Embassy refused to attest the domestic workers employment contract between the worker and the sponsor which was a prerequisite for Indian female domestic workers to enter Kuwait.