Kuwait has introduced sweeping new rules that limit the recruitment of domestic workers to just 10 approved countries, effectively banning recruitment from Nigeria, Kenya and 25 other nations.
The decision was announced through a circular issued by Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior as part of broader reforms aimed at tightening oversight of the domestic labour sector. The move follows recommendations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Public Authority for Manpower.
Under the new regulations, domestic workers can only be recruited from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Nepal and Senegal. However, recruitment from Senegal is restricted to male workers only. Authorities said all recruitment procedures will now be handled through governorate-level service centres.
The list of banned countries includes Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, Cameroon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Niger, Chad, Togo, Malawi, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and several others. In some cases, the restrictions apply only to female domestic workers, while recruitment of men remains permitted.
Kuwaiti authorities said the policy is intended to strengthen regulation of the domestic worker sector, improve administrative controls and streamline recruitment procedures. The directive has already been circulated to residency affairs departments and service centres and is now in force.
The decision is expected to have significant consequences for labour-exporting countries in Africa, particularly Kenya and Nigeria, whose citizens have long sought employment opportunities in the Gulf state. Analysts say the restrictions could reduce job opportunities for thousands of prospective workers and may affect remittance flows to their home countries.
The new recruitment rules come days after Kuwait launched additional reforms, including an online visa system for domestic workers and drivers through the government’s Sahel platform, signalling a broader effort to tighten management of the sector.
