Kuwait: According to local media reports, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has issued a new circular outlining updated rules for the recruitment of domestic workers. The decision was made following recommendations and observations from several government entities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Public Authority for Manpower.

Under the new directive, domestic workers can now be recruited only from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Nepal, and Senegal. Recruitment from Senegal, however, is limited to male domestic workers only. Recruitment procedures will be managed through the country’s governorates.

The circular has been distributed to residency affairs departments and service centres across Kuwait and came into effect following its recent update.

As part of the revised regulations, Kuwait has also banned the recruitment of domestic workers from 27 countries. The list includes Madagascar and Bhutan from Asia, along with several African nations such as Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola.

Officials noted that in some cases, the restrictions apply only to female domestic workers, while the recruitment of male workers remains permitted.