The Ethiopian Embassy in Kuwait has begun accepting applications from local companies and offices involved in domestic worker recruitment to certify the necessary documents.

Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in domestic workers’ affairs, highlighted that the embassy’s certification process marks the initial phase in restarting the recruitment of domestic workers from Addis Ababa. He elaborated that this certification will involve preliminary recruitment contracts, referred to as “Recruitment Orders,” and underscored that this initiative will create a new market to mitigate the labor shortages currently facing Kuwait.

Al-Shammari indicated that the actual recruitment process could take approximately two to three weeks after the Kuwaiti government begins issuing visas for Ethiopian workers. This process will be implemented in accordance with the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries, ensuring compliance with local laws. He also noted that the recruitment of Ethiopian workers will help stabilize the market and alleviate labor shortages, as the costs and salaries associated with these workers are reasonable, making them a more affordable option for both citizens and residents.

Regarding a recent directive from the Ethiopian Ministry of Labor, which set the recruitment commission at $1,300 (around 400 Kuwaiti dinars) per worker, to be paid by Kuwaiti offices, Al-Shammari expressed that this commission is likely to decrease. He attributed this potential decrease to several factors, including the high supply of labor compared to demand in Addis Ababa, pressure from local offices on the Ministry of Labor to reduce the commission and facilitate labor export, and the fact that the current commission is higher than that in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. For example, the commission is set at $900 in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and $1,000 in Qatar. Al-Shammari emphasized that maintaining the current commission would impede recruitment, as it is not feasible.

Al-Shammari further commented that the elevated cost of recruitment would deter most Kuwaiti citizens and expatriates from choosing Ethiopian domestic workers, prompting them to consider other nationalities, particularly with the impending return of Filipino workers. Filipino workers are favored among Kuwaiti and expatriate families due to their ease of communication, high level of care for all family members, strong educational background, and familiarity with local customs and traditions.

Moreover, the Union of Domestic Workers Recruitment Offices issued a statement to its member companies and offices, indicating that it will not initiate or renew a “Recruitment Order” with the Ethiopian Embassy for various reasons. These reasons include perceived discrimination and unequal treatment between Kuwait and other GCC countries regarding recruitment commissions and worker salaries, as well as the imposition of excessive commissions on recruitment offices and the higher salaries demanded by Ethiopian workers compared to their counterparts in the GCC.

The union’s statement to the Ethiopian Embassy concluded by stating, We hereby inform you that we will not engage in any new or renewed ‘Recruitment Orders’ with the embassy until the decision is revised and equitable treatment is established between Kuwait and the GCC countries.