Kuwait Tightens Domestic Worker Recruitment Rules, Approves Hiring from Only 10 Countries
Kuwait has introduced stricter regulations governing the recruitment of domestic workers, limiting hiring to just 10 approved countries as part of a broader effort to strengthen oversight and improve management within the domestic labour sector.
The new directive, issued by Kuwait’s Interior Ministry, significantly narrows the pool of countries from which domestic workers can be recruited, while imposing restrictions on recruitment from 27 other nations. The move reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing administrative controls and ensuring greater regulation of the country’s domestic workforce system.
According to local media reports, the decision follows extensive consultations and recommendations from key government institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Public Authority for Manpower. Authorities say the revised framework is intended to streamline recruitment processes and improve compliance with labour and residency regulations.
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Under the updated guidelines, Kuwait will permit the recruitment of domestic workers from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, and Nepal. Senegal has also been included on the approved list, although recruitment from the West African nation will be restricted to male domestic workers only. Officials indicated that all recruitment procedures will be coordinated through the country’s governorates to ensure proper monitoring and implementation.
The circular outlining the new rules has already been distributed to residency affairs departments and service centres across Kuwait and came into effect immediately following its recent update.
In addition to identifying approved recruitment sources, the directive also outlines a list of 27 countries from which domestic worker recruitment is prohibited. The affected countries include Madagascar, Bhutan, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola.
Authorities noted that some of the restrictions apply specifically to female domestic workers, while recruitment of male workers from certain countries may still be permitted under existing regulations.
The latest measures form part of Kuwait’s ongoing efforts to reform and regulate the domestic labour market, a sector that employs thousands of workers from Asia and Africa. By tightening recruitment standards and introducing clearer administrative procedures, the government aims to strengthen oversight, improve labour management practices, and ensure a more structured and transparent recruitment system.
The policy marks a significant shift in Kuwait’s domestic labour framework and is expected to have implications for recruitment agencies, employers, and prospective workers across multiple regions, particularly in Africa and Asia, where many of the affected countries are located.
