A new group of Filipino domestic workers is scheduled to arrive in Kuwait tomorrow, following the first batch’s arrival earlier this month, as reported by Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in domestic workers’ affairs and owner of a recruitment agency. This incoming group consists of around 50 female workers, with more expected to arrive soon from Manila as part of an ongoing recruitment effort.

Upon arrival, the workers will go through the necessary entry procedures before being taken to the Philippine Embassy, where Labor Attaché Atty. Manuel Dimao will officially greet them. They will receive a brief orientation on their job responsibilities and be informed of their rights under Kuwait’s Domestic Workers Law No. 68 of 2015.

Al-Shammari told Al-Jarida that the consistent influx of Filipino workers is addressing a longstanding shortage in Kuwait’s domestic labor market. This market has faced challenges for years, primarily due to the lack of agreements with new labor-supplying countries. Other nationalities have struggled to fill the void left by Filipino workers after a recruitment ban was enforced.

Currently, there are approximately 200,000 Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait, accounting for 50% of the total domestic workforce. Al-Shammari emphasized the crucial role these workers play in both Kuwaiti and expatriate households, citing their ease of communication, educational background, and familiarity with local customs as key factors driving their high demand.

Additionally, Al-Shammari mentioned that complaints from local recruitment offices regarding delays in paperwork processing with the Philippine Embassy have decreased. Embassy officials are reportedly working to expedite the approval of initial work contracts, or “JOB ORDERs,” to increase the number of available workers. However, the Philippines is currently limiting recruitment to experienced workers who have previously worked in Kuwait, the Gulf States, or other countries, excluding new workers from current recruitment efforts.