Companies not hiring enough Kuwaitis face increase in fine

The National Labor Sector at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has finalized its plan to increase the fine imposed on private sector companies, which failed to comply with the specified percentage of Kuwaiti workforce, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting sources. Sources said the authority submitted its plan to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) some time ago for information and discussion by the concerned ministers, and then it was forwarded to the Council of Ministers for approval. Sources explained the plan is aimed at ensuring strict compliance among private companies, asserting this will generate hundreds of job opportunities for citizens wishing to work in the private sector and ease pressure on the government sector.

Sources pointed out that in order to keep pace with international standards in the economic field, the authority is reconsidering the percentage of national workers in non-governmental entities. Sources added the country spends a huge amount on national labor support for Kuwaitis in the private sector annually, stressing the authority is keen on granting such support only to the deserving. Sources said the authority is also committed to combating disguised unemployment and fictitious employment, especially since State funds are being utilized for the national labor support. Meanwhile, Deputy Director General of the Employment Affairs Sector at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) Sultan Al-Sha’alani said the approval of work permit requests submitted through the authority’s automated system takes only two minutes, disclosing the employees in the labor departments have been tasked to enter the employers’ data in the system, reports Al-Qabas daily. Al-Shaalani told the daily that there is an automated link with the Ministry of Health for the approval of vaccination certificates of workers for whom the work permits will be issued, clarifying the vaccination certificate approval period is the ministry’s prerogative.

In another development, the manpower staff organized an open recruitment day for citizens who are looking for jobs in the banking sector last week with Deputy Director General for National Labor Affairs Abdullah Al-Mutawtah in attendance. This was in cooperation with several local banks and more than 350 citizens participated in the event