Kuwait has introduced new regulations governing the recruitment of domestic workers, allowing hiring from only 10 approved countries while imposing restrictions on recruitment from 27 others.

The decision, announced by Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, is aimed at strengthening oversight of the domestic labour sector, improving administrative procedures and enhancing transparency in the recruitment process.

According to local media reports, the policy was developed in consultation with several government bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and the Public Authority for Manpower.

Under the new regulations, domestic workers can be recruited from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam and Nepal. Recruitment from Senegal will be limited to male domestic workers.

Officials said all recruitment procedures will be processed through the relevant governorates in accordance with the updated regulations.

Recruitment Restrictions on 27 Countries

The ministry has also issued a list of 27 countries from which domestic worker recruitment has been restricted. These include Madagascar, Bhutan, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola.

Government sources indicated that some restrictions apply only to female domestic workers, while recruitment of male workers from certain countries may continue under existing arrangements.

Kuwaiti authorities said the updated framework is intended to improve regulation of the domestic labour market and strengthen monitoring mechanisms across the sector

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