World
Kuwait turns to Ethiopian domestic workers amid rift with Philippines over entry ban
Kuwait will import domestic workers from Ethiopia to ensure a sufficient supply of manpower amid stalled negotiations with the Philippines over the entry ban of Filipinos.
Kuwait’s Union of Domestic Labor Recruitment Offices reached an agreement with its Ethiopian counterpart to regulate the import of domestic workers from Ethiopia, its head Khaled al-Dakhnan announced on Monday.
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About 600 employment agencies will help supply workers to Kuwait as the two countries are expected to reach a permanent labor agreement in the coming days.
Once a formal agreement is signed, the conditions to begin importing domestic workers will be implemented.
The prerequisites include mandatory training for all incoming workers for no less than three months, according to the Kuwaiti union’s head.
The designated monthly wage set for domestic workers from Ethiopia will be the standard $300, with the recruitment fees not exceeding $1,600.
Al-Dakhnan said he expects a substantial number of Ethiopian workers will be moving to Kuwait to meet the demand amid the shortage of domestic workers as a result of the entry ban on Filipinos.
Kuwait will also be holding talks with several other countries, including Kenya and Uganda, in hopes of reaching a deal.
In May, Kuwait said it would halt all types of work and entry visas for Filipinos under orders from the interior minister except for the renewal of residence permits of Filipinos currently with legal status.
This came after the Philippines “rejected Kuwait’s conditions aimed to prevent recurrence of worker violations,” the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
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