Domestic Workers Return To Take Time

The domestic labor market in Kuwait is enduring severe setbacks as a consequence of the fallout of the coronavirus preventative measures, according to the Head of the Union for Owners of Recruitment Offices for Domestic Workers Khaled Al Dokhnan, reports Al Jarida.

Al Dokhnan spoke to the daily, affirming there are no signs of a breakthrough regarding the resumption of flights from some countries, including from those countries from where a large number of domestic workers are recruited from, namely India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Nepal. He added that consequently there is no possibility for the issuing of visas and restarting recruitment again.

Al Dokhnan noted that the union has addressed several letters to the Public Authority for Manpower and the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs regarding the restarting of issuance of visas, but so far he has not received an official response in this regard, stressing the need to resume visas for domestic workers, especially as the labor market is suffering.

Noting that the domestic workers in the available pool are dwindling, he said this was due to the suspension of recruitment of new workers for 7 months, and most workers in the country are currently on expired work contracts and wish to return to their countries.

On the other hand, the Public Authority for Manpower released statistics which showed that the total actual recruitment offices registered with the Department was 483, with 1628 registered domestic workers. While the total complaints submitted to the Department from April 2019 until now were 794, of which 307 were investigated, 192 were referred to the judiciary, and 155 were resolved amicably.

Only recently, the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) revealed that their new branch in the Ahmadi Governorate, which is located in South Sabahiya, dispensed 14,000 visas to domestic workers.

On the other hand, there is also the matter of the booming black market for domestic workers due to the continued suspension of domestic recruitment offices, and the recruitment of workers from abroad due to measures taken to fight the coronavirus.
Brokers are filling the void by providing domestic labor services illegally and at high prices, taking advantage of the demand from clients and the lack of competition.

These brokers are advertising services of domestic workers usually African and Asian nationals, to work at people’s homes at a price of KD25 dinars for 4 hours and KD250 dinars per month.

In March, the assistant undersecretary for residency in the Ministry of Interior, Major General Talal Marafi, called on citizens and expats not to hire domestic workers who work part-time or hourly which is in violation of laws and in addition can pose potential risks.

Marafi explained that these people, who are usually uneducated, mix around with others and expose themselves to health risks, particularly are open to being infected by the coronavirus and then, transmitting it to the families and children who hire them. He added that it is highly possible that these people for employment sake have mixed with people infected with the virus.

 

SOURCE : TIMES KUWAIT

Comments Post Comment

Leave a Comment

Submit