Over 715,000 Covered Under Kuwait’s Social Insurance System

As of the first quarter of 2025, the Public Institute for Social Security announced that 715,282 individuals, comprising both civilian and military personnel, were covered under Kuwait’s social insurance system. Civilians made up 414,657 of the total, while the number of living retirees included 160,657 civilians and 39,587 military personnel.

Employment in the Government Sector

Gender Distribution and Salaries

In the government sector, the number of insured male employees reached 124,526, with an average monthly salary of 733 Kuwaiti dinars. Female employees, totaling 201,237, significantly outnumbered their male counterparts, though their average salary was lower at 570 dinars.

Oil Sector Employment Statistics

The oil sector showed higher salary figures. Insured male employees numbered 18,300, earning an average salary of 1,469 dinars. An additional 3,403 beneficiaries received an average of 1,490 dinars. Overall, the average salary for civilians insured under the oil sector’s fund was recorded at 729 dinars.

Rise in Self-Employed Women Contributors

The number of self-employed civilians contributing to the social insurance system stood at 18,696. Of these, 8,511 were men earning an average salary of 704 dinars, while 10,185 were women earning 613 dinars on average. A significant trend highlighted by the Institute was that 30% of self-employed women now fall within the 500-dinar salary bracket.

This change is largely attributed to Decision No. 1/2019, which adjusted the subscription brackets from June 2019, resulting in increased declared income levels among women. As a result, women now represent the largest proportion of insured individuals in the self-employed category.

Retirement and Pension Insights

A total of 200,244 retired individuals, including both civil and military personnel, currently receive pensions, with the average pension amounting to 1,359 dinars. Among them, 154,658 are civilian retirees, earning an average pension of 1,295 dinars.

Government Sector Retirees

• 55,048 male retirees in the government sector receive an average pension of 1,509 dinars.
• 78,012 female retirees receive an average pension of 1,058 dinars.
• The combined average pension in this category stands at 1,245 dinars.

Key Labor Market Trends

These figures reflect Kuwait’s evolving labor market dynamics, including:

• Increased female participation in both government and self-employed roles.
• Rising average salaries in key sectors like oil and government.
• Significant pension support for retirees, especially among government employees.

The shift in salary brackets and insurance coverage patterns also point to continued efforts to improve income transparency and social support systems in Kuwait.