Kuwait kicking out half million foreigners?

[Ahrat]

The Kuwaiti government is considering deporting about half a million foreign workers for violation of residency law and for lack of required skills, Kuwait-based Al-Rai daily reported on Monday, June 29, 2009.

Most of these workers are jobless and are causing many problems to the Kuwaiti government, the paper reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

The number of foreign workers in Kuwait is more than 2.35 million, or 71 percent of the local population, according to recent statistics, the daily reported.

Just about 18 percent of these workers are highly-qualified and have technical skills while about 8 percent of them are illiterate, which means that it is possible to dispense with large numbers of them since they do not meet employment requirements, the people told Al-Rai.

[fireopal]

Worker deportation backed by MPs
Jul 15, 2009


Kuwaiti MPs have backed a move to force government contractors to deport foreign workers immediately after their contract ends, part of efforts to curb the number of jobless expatriates in the Gulf state.

Lawmaker Hassan Jowhar heralded the ruling by Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Mohammad al-Afasi as “reform-oriented” and said it would help stamp out human trafficking, the Kuwait Times daily reported on Wednesday.

The number of foreign workers in Kuwait is more than 2.35 million, or 71 percent of the local population, according to recent statistics.

Jowhar warned the rising number of jobless expatriates in Kuwait would lead to rising crime.

He also said the large number of foreigners was creating a demographic imbalance that negatively affects Kuwaiti citizens.

Kuwait-based Al-Rai daily reported last month that the Kuwaiti government is considering deporting about half a million foreign workers for violation of residency law and for lack of required skills.

Most of these workers are jobless and are causing many problems to the Kuwaiti government, the paper reported.