In response to concerns raised by the Teachers Association regarding restrictions on school staff’s presence after official working hours, Hessa Al-Mutawa, the Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education at the Ministry of Education, has announced a policy change allowing teachers and administrative staff to remain in schools as necessary.

The decision follows observations made by the Teachers Association regarding the bulletin that previously prohibited the presence of educational and administrative staff after official working hours, citing its adverse impact on school operations. Hamad Al-Houli, the President of the Association, commended the cooperation of Undersecretary Al-Mutawa for her swift response to the concerns raised. Undersecretary Al-Mutawa issued a letter dated May 14, permitting staff presence in schools after official hours based on actual work requirements, subject to coordination and approval from the educational district for implementation.

According to regulatory guidelines and to ensure security and safety, testing, monitoring, and administrative tasks are deemed essential work needs, necessitating the presence of staff after official hours. It is mandated that the responsible personnel and their supervisors are aware of staff presence based on job hierarchy, and they are required to report any staff or student presence after official hours to the educational district for record-keeping purposes.

Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan, the Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, has issued a ministerial decision to amend the advertisement regulations to increase the country’s revenues.

The new regulations introduce fees for certain types of advertisements that previously did not require financial compensation and include adjustments to existing terms.

Key highlights of the changes include:

• A fee of five dinars per month per square meter for seasonal advertisements.
• A fee of seventy-five dinars per year per square meter for animated electronic advertisements.
• A fee of fifty dinars per year per square meter for fixed and non-moving electronic commercials.

The Ministry of Health has launched rigorous inspection campaigns across health districts, hospitals, and various departments to ensure compliance with overtime assignments, as reported by a local daily.

According to the report, the ministry has issued an administrative directive stating that employees found absent during these inspections will be removed from the overtime lists.

The report highlights numerous instances where employees did not attend their assigned overtime duties.

An expatriate’s bank account was emptied as soon as he clicked a link to pay KD 1, reports Al-Anba daily. According to the victim, he did not share the OTP with the woman involved in this incident, yet his bank balance was reduced to zero within minutes. A case of bank document forgery was registered and classified as ‘felony’. A security source revealed that an expatriate, born in 1999, got a telephone call from a woman claiming to be a bank employee. She informed him that the bank would send him a link to pay KD1 in order to activate his account.

Shortly after, he received a call from another phone, not the woman’s mobile phone, via WhatsApp. He stated that he had attempted to pay KD1 through the link, but received a message indicating that the transaction was not completed. However, he was shocked to discover that his entire balance of KD343 was lost. He confirmed that he received the OTP, but did not share it.

Furthermore, the security source pointed out that the expatriate’s mobile phone might have been hacked, allowing the gang to use the OTP code. He urged the public to be cautious and not to respond to any suspicious requests. The Central Bank of Kuwait has issued multiple warnings about gangs stealing people’s accounts using various methods and requesting private banking information that no legitimate bank or employee would ask for.

The Ministry of Education is intensifying efforts to ensure its workforce meets the required educational qualifications, with a looming deadline prompting urgent action from tardy employees. As the specified period draws to a close, the Ministry has issued a stern warning, cautioning employees to swiftly fulfill their academic requirements or face legal consequences.

Matrook Al-Mutairi, Acting Undersecretary of the Administrative Sector, disclosed that a staggering 37,100 employees are yet to furnish copies of their academic credentials on the Ministry’s designated website, a mandate stemming from the Civil Service Commission’s directive outlined in letter No. 2023116465. The Ministry initially circulated a bulletin on March 11 to address this issue, emphasizing the importance of compliance.

Failure to meet the stipulated qualifications affects 37,010 employees within the public education sector, necessitating immediate action to rectify the situation to avoid potential repercussions. Al-Mutairi stressed the urgency of completing the requisite upgrades within a week of the specified deadline to evade accountability.

In a separate development, Ahmed Al-Majidi, Director of the Library Administration, announced the commencement of electronic inventory procedures in school libraries for the academic year 2023/2024. This initiative aligns with educational policy’s thrust towards digital transformation, aiming to enhance operational efficiency.

Al-Majidi informed educational district directors that user credentials would be dispatched to schools to kickstart the electronic inventory process, streamlining library management and accessibility.

Meanwhile, the Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Education has unveiled a specialized program to manage high school exams electronically, bolstering data security and confidentiality. M. Hoda Al-Mutairi, Director of Administration, highlighted the completion of an electronic program tailored to central exam control, ensuring restricted access to student data.

The Control Management System, a bespoke framework developed for managing exam procedures across the scientific, literary, and religious education domains, delegate specific privileges to authorized personnel within schools and educational districts. Al-Mutairi emphasized the system’s capability to facilitate seamless data exchange while upholding confidentiality protocols.

Key features of the system include personalized user accounts with designated access rights, enabling the swift and secure transmission of student information. Additionally, the system grants schools and educational districts access to standardized test answers during the grading phase, further fortifying data integrity measures.

As the education sector embraces digital advancements, these initiatives signify a concerted effort by the Ministry of Education to modernize operations while ensuring compliance and efficiency in critical processes.

This year’s Eid al-Adha holiday will be four days if Arafat Standing falls on June 15 (Saturday), reports Al-Anba daily. Then, the days of Eid will be on June 16, 17 and 18 and work will resume on June 19. If Arafat falls on June 16 (Sunday), the Eid days will be on June 17, 18 and 19; then June 20 (Thursday) will be declared a rest day since it falls between two holidays. Thus, the holiday will be nine days, as work will resume on June 23 (Sunday).

According to sources, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) will issue a holiday circular in advance. If the holiday is four days, employees who wish to extend it can submit a request for periodic leave for June 19 and 20. It is important to note that absence on these two days without submitting a leave request in advance will result in the entire period being counted as absence from work, sources added.

WhatsApp, a widely used messaging app, announced three new updates over the last month, focusing on ensuring privacy, enhancing security, and increasing convenience.

UAE users reported receiving notifications from the Meta-owned company as the messaging platform announced these updates through direct messages to millions of WhatsApp users.

Undo 'delete for me'

Have you meant to delete a message for everyone, only to realise that you clicked on "delete for me"? The most recent update enables users to undo "delete for me."

Once you click on 'delete for me', a pop-up will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Click on 'undo.'

The message you sent will be back and can then be deleted for everyone, or you can choose to keep it in chat.

Pin important messages

You no longer need to constantly search for messages. To ensure convenience and ease of access, Whatsapp rolled out an update that enables you to quickly access important messages, by following these steps:

To keep a message at the top of your chat, long-press and click on the "Pin" option.

Select the duration of the pin, which could be 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days.

Group admins can also allow members to pin messages in a group chat.

Protect backed up messages

Messages on Whatsapp are already end-to-end encrypted. Now, you can add an additional layer of security by turning on encrypted backups, and doing the following:

Go to settings, and click on 'chat backup' under 'chats'.

Tap on the end-to-end encrypted backup, and you can then set a password or a 64-digit encrypted key to ensure privacy.

According to the update, even Whatsapp will not be able to access these messages.

First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousuf Al-Sabah recently issued a directive to extend the deadline for taking biometric fingerprints — Sept 30, 2024 for citizens and Dec 30, 2024 for expatriates.

The minister took this decision to ease and accelerate the biometric fingerprint process for citizens and expatriates. To streamline the process, locations and working hours have been allotted at the personal identification sections in the Criminal Evidence General Department at the Interior Ministry. The directive stressed the need to make appointments through the ‘Meta’ website or via the ‘Sahel’ application, indicating that walk-ins will not be accepted. The ministry urged all those concerned to book their appointment before visiting the designated centers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges citizens to refrain from making fraudulent reservations about Schengen visas. This call aims to streamline the application process for Kuwaiti citizens seeking travel visas to Schengen countries. Fake reservations can impede visa issuance and lead to rejection by the embassy.

The ministry emphasized the importance of engaging with accredited offices through the relevant embassies by accessing their official websites. It also advised against dealing with any offices or intermediaries not accredited by the embassies.

Additionally, the ministry highlighted the need to submit visa applications well in advance of the travel date, adhere to the specified submission date set by the authorized office for visa processing, and ensure all required documents are provided.

The ministry urged citizens to follow bulletins issued by the relevant embassies and to seek information from official sources.

It was also mentioned that in case of emergency abroad, citizens can contact the ministry at any time using the emergency numbers of Kuwait’s diplomatic missions. Additionally, citizens can use the call service center number (+159 965) both inside and outside Kuwait.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes all citizens smooth procedures, safe travels, and a pleasant return to the country.

In a new development, educational sector sources have announced the launch of a mobile application called, ‘Wajud- Tawajud’, which allows fingerprint verification. Sources stated that the Information Systems Department has fully developed the application, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

They affirmed that the ministry will make the application available for verifying the attendance of ‘secondary control’ staff in the scientific and literary departments, as well as religious studies. Sources elaborated that the application is installed on mobile phones and works based on geographical location coordinates. It is linked to the fingerprint attendance system via Bluetooth; thereby, enabling control officials to monitor the attendance of employees, ensure compliance with required work hours and track absenteeism, sources explained.

Sources stressed that the new application will help address the fingerprint issue faced by teachers assigned to do ‘control’ work, as they often face difficulties returning to their schools to verify their exit fingerprint due to their ‘control’ duties. Sources revealed the application can be used to verify teachers’ fingerprints when they are assigned certain tasks, attend workshops or participate in training sessions. These situations pose obstacles to fingerprint verification, but the application can help overcome the problem, sources added.

Meanwhile, as the end-of-year exams for middle school, grades 10 and 11 students are scheduled to begin next Wednesday, the Ministry of Education’s competent authorities are still holding meetings to address preparations for the high school exams, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting senior educational sources. Sources informed the daily that the ministry’s officials took a decision to restrict the rotation of heads and members of the high school exam monitoring committees within their respective educational districts.

They explained that external rotation was deemed unnecessary and caused confusion, indicating that implementing regional rotation during final exams is challenging, particularly when the schools involved are far from the committee members’ original schools. This has prompted many teachers to refrain from participating in previous years, sources revealed. Sources confirmed that acting Undersecretary of the Ministry Mansour Al-Daihani has approved the rotation lists for the monitoring committees in secondary schools, as well as the control members’ committees and the correction committees in the scientific and literary departments. Sources added the decisions regarding rotation, monitoring, correction and control committees will be issued in the upcoming week

The Al-Ajeeri Scientific Center has announced that the second phase of the “Kena” season will begin tomorrow, Sunday, May 12, 2024. This phase is characterized by the appearance of the “Shadow Palace” and an increase in daylight hours.

The “Shadow Palace” is a phenomenon that occurs during the Kena season when the sun casts a shadow that is shorter than its actual length. Daylight hours will exceed 13.5 hours during this phase.

The “Shartaneen” period, as this phase is also known, is characterized by an increase in the movement of northerly winds, often carrying dust and sand. During the Shartaneen period, daytime temperatures are expected to be high, making it difficult to spend time outdoors.

This phase lasts for 13 days and is followed by the “Battin” period, marking the end of the rainy season and the beginning of rising temperatures.

Sources within the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy disclosed that the investigation into a seven-member gang’s infiltration of the Ministry’s computer systems and subsequent manipulation of bills values after official working hours has been sent to the Public Funds Prosecution, reports Al-Jarida daily. The purpose of this referral is to ascertain the extent of the financial losses incurred through this illicit activity and to initiate steps to recover the misappropriated state funds. The daily quoted sources said, following the conclusion of investigations by the Public Prosecution, the case file was passed on to the Cybercrimes Prosecution before reaching the Public Funds Prosecution.

The latter is tasked with assessing the tampered bill amounts and identifying the beneficiaries of this tampering to facilitate the recovery of misused funds. Investigations have revealed that the system breach was likely facilitated by an insider at the Ministry who collaborated with the gang and possessed sufficient training to manipulate the system. In response to this breach, the Ministry of Electricity has implemented stringent measures to limit the number of authorized personnel with access to the system. Moreover, the issuance of large bills with significant financial implications is now restricted to heads of customer service offices exclusively.

Last August, the Ministry of Electricity unveiled the tampering incident, prompting an investigation by the Electronic Crimes Department following a complaint lodged by the Ministry. Upon inspection of the Ministry’s premises and electronic systems, it was discovered that unauthorized users, including individuals not affiliated with the Ministry, had accessed the system, indicating security vulnerabilities that had been exploited. Subsequent monitoring and surveillance efforts confirmed the system breach, leading to the referral of the case to the Public Prosecution for further inquiry. In another development, a joint team from the Ministries of Electricity and Works conducted a site visit to sections of the new T2 airport project. This project will incorporate the installation of solar panels to generate 17 megawatts of energy from renewable sources. The team affirmed that the solar panel project will adhere to specified locations and meet requisite standards, with the energy generated contributing to the operational efficiency of the airport project by alleviating electrical loads.

 In a significant move aimed at enhancing educational standards, the Ministry of Education has announced the adoption of a teacher’s license as a fundamental prerequisite for the employment of teachers in private schools. This decision, disclosed by the Assistant Undersecretary for Special and Specific Education, Dr. Suleiman Al-Lafi, signifies a pivotal shift in the hiring procedures within the private education sector.

Dr. Al-Lafi’s directive introduces a new criterion for issuing work approvals to prospective teachers, mandating that applicants possess a vocational qualification diploma, commonly referred to as a professional license in education. This diploma must be issued by one of the accredited academic accreditation bodies recognized by the Ministry of Education.

Effective from the upcoming academic year 2024/2025, the issuance of work approvals for new teachers will be contingent upon the possession of a teacher’s license. These approvals will initially be valid for one academic year, and renewable for two additional academic years. However, renewal beyond this period is conditional upon teachers obtaining the requisite teacher’s license.

Furthermore, current teachers in private schools are granted a transitional period of three years, beginning from the academic year 2024/2025. During this timeframe, schools are mandated to ensure that their teachers acquire the necessary license from accredited academic institutions. Failure to comply with this requirement within the stipulated period will result in the expiration of work approvals for affected teachers.

Notably, the Ministry of Education is committed to enforcing the teacher’s license across all educational institutions, starting with private schools and subsequently extending to government-run establishments. Collaborating closely with the National Center for Educational Development, the ministry is actively devising strategies to implement the license requirement systematically within the public education sector.

This groundbreaking initiative underscores the ministry’s dedication to elevating the quality of education and ensuring that teachers possess the essential qualifications to deliver effective instruction. With the introduction of the teacher’s license, the ministry aims to uphold rigorous standards of professionalism and competence among educators, thereby enriching the educational experience for students across the nation.

To curb local energy consumption rates and address environmental concerns, government authorities are contemplating the utilization of used tires as an alternative energy source in industrial processes. This initiative aims to achieve a dual benefit by reducing industrial energy consumption and addressing the mounting issue of used tires accumulation.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed to Al-Rai that the proposed strategy involves cutting used tires and converting them into fuel for consumption in factory furnaces, replacing traditional fossil fuels such as oil and coal. This transition is expected to yield significant environmental benefits.

The study suggests that factories equipped with furnaces capable of burning solid waste, including alternative fuels like used tires, could initially consume these fuels at a rate of 40 percent, gradually increasing to 100 percent within five years. With over 9.5 million tires estimated to be used from vehicles registered in Kuwait by the end of 2020, the potential for utilizing used tires as fuel is substantial.

Highlighting the logistics involved, the study proposes storage facilities in designated areas, alongside electrical and fuel requirements necessary for tire-cutting operations. Successful tire-cutting initiatives, such as those witnessed in Germany, serve as precedents for similar efforts in Kuwait, where tire-shredding operations commenced in 2019.

However, challenges persist, particularly concerning the disposal of accumulated tires. The Environment Public Authority underscored the urgency of addressing this issue due to its adverse environmental impact. Recommendations include expedited removal and disposal of damaged tires, alongside exploring innovative solutions for their use as fuel in various industries.

The municipality is urged to collaborate with relevant authorities to devise comprehensive strategies for tire disposal and treatment, with a focus on coordination and legal clarity regarding ownership and responsibility for tire management.

As Kuwait seeks sustainable solutions to its environmental challenges, the exploration of alternative energy sources like used tires presents an opportunity for both environmental stewardship and industrial innovation.

Khaled Al-Ajmi, the Assistant Undersecretary for Social Development Sector Affairs at the Ministry of Social Affairs, disclosed that the Ministry has formed a working group for a duration of three months, as per the recommendation of the National Committee tasked with implementing the strategy to prevent trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrant workers, reports Al-Jarida daily. This group, led by the Ministry and comprising directors from civil and charitable associations, along with representatives from the Family Welfare and Community Development Departments, is tasked with implementing the “national referral” system.

This system involves collaboration with civil society and public benefit associations focused on human and children’s rights. Al-Ajmi highlighted that the committee’s duties include executing the national referral system through six stages aimed at identifying victims of human trafficking, conducting investigations, providing legal and judicial prosecution, offering protection and assistance to victims, facilitating their voluntary return to their home countries, and aiding in their reintegration into their communities. He emphasized that Kuwait’s efforts align with international standards in combating this reprehensible crime, which is condemned by both Sharia and law.

Al-Ajmi said, “The team will coordinate with civil and charitable organizations to spread awareness among expatriate workers and educate them about their rights.” Moreover, Al-Ajmi outlined that the team will conduct field visits to specialized shelter centers for victims of human trafficking to provide psychological support. Additionally, they will coordinate with national and charitable organizations to raise awareness among expatriate workers about their rights. The working group is committed to submitting regular reports on its progress to the National Committee, with meetings convened at the invitation of the president or deputy. The validity of these meetings requires the presence of the majority of members.

The committee overseeing labor market regulation is nearing completion of establishing protocols for recruiting foreign workers in specific technical fields demanded by the market. This initiative aims to streamline operations for business owners and private sector companies, fostering a conducive business environment to curb visa trade, reports Al-Jarida daily. According to informed sources, the committee is focusing on devising recruitment mechanisms for key professions such as medical, educational, engineering, legal, accounting, and financial roles.

These mechanisms will be applied uniformly to recruiters of all nationalities without discrimination, with implementation set to commence soon. Following approval by relevant authorities, the implementation of labor market regulation measures is expected to commence within the next few years. The committee overseeing this regulation, comprising the Public Authority for Manpower and pertinent governmental and private entities such as the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Higher Education, the Kuwait University, and specialized professional associations, has nearly finalized the establishment of protocols for recruiting foreign workers in essential technical fields demanded by the market.

This initiative is geared towards facilitating business operations for owners and private sector enterprises, fostering a conducive business environment, and curtailing residency trade. Similarly, the Public Authority for Manpower persists in its endeavors to regulate the labor market and refine the processes for recruiting overseas workers through a series of regulatory measures, facilitated by a civil government committee comprising a panel of experts, reports Al-Rai daily. According to reliable PAM sources the committee will have representatives from PAM and key stakeholders such as the ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Higher Education, Kuwait University, and the specialized public service associations.

Sources said that during a recent meeting various proposals for recruiting workers, particularly in technical fields, were deliberated upon. Sources elaborated that the committee scrutinized the most pressing technical professions demanded by the labor market, intending to devise tailored recruitment mechanisms for each while at the same time underscoring that the proposed recruitment process would unfold gradually, with the initial phase targeting professions in the medical, educational, engineering, legal, and financial domains. Efforts are underway to ascertain the labor market’s requirements through comprehensive assessments conducted by the committee, inclusive of all nationalities eligible for entry into the country.

Among the proposals is a stipulation to withhold the issuance of new work permits unless preceded by the endorsement, validation, and equivalence of academic credentials by official bodies and the Kuwaiti embassies overseas. Furthermore, the committee is mulling over the addition of accredited professional experience certificates for each profession, spanning a minimum of 3 years for selected roles and up to 5 years for others. Additionally, applicants may be required to present a professional practice certificate sanctioned by relevant authorities and successfully clear a professional practice test. Recent decisions issued by PAM have regulated the process of transferring expatriate labor brought in from abroad between employers, allowing companies to recruit all anticipated workers from overseas without the need for internal transfers.

However, the daily has learned that the committee has made significant progress in this regard, with a focus on addressing the market’s demand for technical professions. Regarding the proposed mechanisms, sources indicated strict enforcement of certified practical certificates issued by labor-exporting countries, in coordination with Kuwaiti embassies abroad. Additionally, requirements include possessing a certificate indicating years of experience specific to each profession, alongside a profession practice certificate endorsed by relevant authorities in the worker’s country. Equivalency of a certificate in higher education in Kuwait and successful completion of profession practice tests sanctioned by certain public benefit associations are also part of the criteria.

In a groundbreaking move, the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) has initiated trial operations of a robot at the Al-Zour Refinery, marking a significant leap forward in the country’s oil sector.

With the introduction of this robotic technology, KIPIC aims to leverage the latest advancements to streamline operations and enhance efficiency, maintaining the refinery’s reputation for top-tier performance.

In a statement shared across its social media platforms, KIPIC unveiled its experimental robotics project, highlighting its commitment to embracing innovation for future-oriented solutions. The project represents a strategic initiative aimed at integrating robotics technology into refinery operations, signaling KIPIC’s leadership in adopting cutting-edge technologies.

Speaking on the initiative, a spokesperson for KIPIC emphasized the company’s dedication to advancing safety standards, increasing productivity, and optimizing operational efficiency. The adoption of robotics technology underscores KIPIC’s proactive approach to staying abreast of technological advancements and ensuring operational excellence.

The implementation of robotics technology is poised to yield cost-saving benefits and expedite the resolution of high-cost challenges. With the evolution of artificial intelligence technology, coupled with the integration of the Internet of Things and fifth-generation networks, Kuwait’s oil and gas sector is poised to make rapid, informed decisions to address emerging needs and challenges.

The Al-Zour Refinery, with a refining capacity of 615 thousand barrels per day, stands as a cornerstone of Kuwait’s petroleum industry, and the introduction of robotics technology represents a significant step towards further enhancing its operational capabilities and competitiveness in the global market.

Official data released by the Central Bank of Kuwait revealed a significant drop in profits for local exchange companies during the first quarter of the current year. Profits decreased by approximately 56%, totaling 5.88 million dinars. This marks a decline from about 10.5 million dinars recorded during the first quarter of 2023.

The decline in profits can be attributed primarily to an increase in expenses, notably administrative expenses, bank interest, and allocations. Additionally, there was a slight decrease in the volume of other revenues.

During the first quarter of the current year, the total revenues of 32 exchange companies under the supervision of the Central Bank of Kuwait decreased by 1.4%, amounting to about 26.59 million dinars. This is compared to 26.97 million dinars for the same period in 2023.

While revenues from currency sales increased by 1.01% to reach 19.98 million dinars, revenues from bank interest witnessed a notable increase from 255.2 thousand dinars to 339.2 thousand dinars. However, other revenues decreased by 9.6%, amounting to 6.26 million dinars.

Conversely, total expenses increased by 33.44%, reaching 21.9 million dinars in the first three months of 2024. This includes a significant rise in administrative and banking expenses, as well as increases in bank interest and allocations. Other expenses decreased by 67.65% during the same period.

The observed fluctuations in profits and expenses highlight the ongoing challenges faced by exchange companies in Kuwait and underscore the need for effective financial management strategies in the sector.

 Recent official figures have highlighted significant dynamics within Kuwait’s labor market, reflecting both shifts in workforce demographics and sectoral distribution. According to data provided by the Central Department of Statistics, Kuwait currently boasts a workforce totaling approximately two million and 133 thousand individuals.

Indians emerge as the predominant nationality within the labor force, with a staggering 535 thousand workers, followed by other nationalities. Notably, over the past year, the market welcomed an influx of 96 thousand individuals, among which 12 thousand were citizens. The labor force includes a substantial segment of 786 thousand servants, comprising 422 thousand females.

One of the most striking revelations from the data is the significant rise in the number of Nepalese workers, experiencing a remarkable 27% increase. However, while the total workforce expanded, the percentage of citizens decreased from 21.3% to 15.6%, including the family sector.

Examining the distribution of workers, Kuwaitis accounted for 454,038 individuals, constituting 21.3% of the workforce, while non-Kuwaitis numbered 2,132,996, representing 78.7%. These numbers exclude workers from the family sector, which encompasses a substantial portion of employment.

A detailed analysis reveals that the number of national workers increased marginally, from 442,647 individuals in December 2022 to 454,038 individuals in December 2023. Conversely, non-Kuwaiti workers witnessed a more pronounced increase, from 1,594,343 to 1,678,958 individuals during the same period.

Furthermore, educational attainment among workers remained relatively stable, with a notable increase observed among Kuwaitis holding university qualifications and above. Interestingly, the distribution of non-Kuwaiti workers based on educational levels showed minimal fluctuations, except for a slight rise among those with high school qualifications.

In terms of employment by nationality, Indians led the workforce, followed closely by Egyptians and Kuwaitis. Notable changes were observed in the number of workers from various nationalities, with significant increases in Indian and Nepalese workers and a decrease in Egyptian workers.

Sector-wise, over half of employment remains concentrated in the private sector, accounting for 56.8% of all sectors. Conversely, the family sector represents 31.9% of total employment, while the government sector constitutes 16.3%.

An intriguing trend emerges regarding the distribution of national workers across economic activities within the private sector. More than half of them are engaged in accommodation and food services, financial and insurance activities, and construction. Conversely, non-Kuwaiti labor in the private sector is predominantly concentrated in accommodation and food services, construction, and manufacturing industries.

Overall, these figures provide valuable insights into Kuwait’s labor market dynamics, underscoring the diverse composition of its workforce and the evolving trends within different sectors.