Kuwait Employment and Career News
Fall in Kuwait expatriate workforce for second consecutive year
Kuwait expatriate workforce has declined in 2009 for the second consecutive year, an impact of global economic recession, the official figures reveal.
The expatriate workforce in Kuwait have been reducing since 2008, when it dropped due to the invading done by the Iraqi army, which compelled several foreigners to flee Kuwait.
The expatriate employment force dropped from 1.77mn in 2007 to 1,75mn in 2008, and now it is at 1.74mn in 2009. However, the report states that the decline of just 0.6percent is marginal.
However, the total expatriate population, including families of workers’ has increased last year by 11,000 numbers, touching 2.37mn.
Kuwait’s expatriate population has grown by 150,000 to 200,000 every year since 2003, due to an economic boom triggered by high oil prices which hit a record high of $147 per barrel in mid 2008.
During the period 2004 to 2007, the expatriate population in Kuwait grew by 737,000 largely due to overseas recruitment. But, the numbers increased by just 26,000 over the past two years.
However, expatriates still constitute majority of the population in Kuwait (67.9pc), out of the 3.49mn total population in Kuwait.
The economic slowdown has prompted several Kuwaiti firms to lay off foreign workers, which led to increase in national workforce by 26,000 numbers within a year.
Majority of the Kuwaitis are employed in public sector, while Kuwaitis constitute just 4percent of the private sector workforce.
While Asians constitute majority of expatriate population in Kuwait, touching 1.32mn, this is followed by Arabs at 984,000 and total 34,500 Americans, Europeans and Australians.
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