Crackdown on Domestic Workers' offices in Kuwait for overcharging

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KUWAIT CITY: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has taken action against several domestic worker recruitment offices for manipulating prices beyond those specified by regulations. These offices now face potential penalties, including referral to the Public Prosecution and commercial closure.

Informed sources disclosed to Al Jarida that the Ministry has issued warnings to the affected office owners and has summoned them for investigations. The focus is on understanding why these offices increased prices for citizens. If violations are confirmed, the Ministry plans to impose stricter penalties.

During recent inspection tours, the Ministry discovered offices that failed to issue labor delivery receipts. These offices will be held accountable once the investigations are completed. Previously, the Ministry had already closed several offices for non-compliance with set prices and for failing to provide K-Net devices for electronic payment, as required by law.

Earlier this year, the Ministry amended Resolution No. 103 of 2022, which set recruitment prices for domestic workers. The new prices are approximately 750 dinars for workers from Asian countries, 575 dinars for those from African countries, and 350 dinars for a special passport. These amounts are the maximum charges, inclusive of travel tickets.

According to sources from the Public Authority for Manpower, there were 448 registered recruitment offices by the end of August. Inspectors from the Department of Regulating the Recruitment of Domestic Workers suspended 12 offices for failing to meet operational requirements, although the suspension was later lifted from 10 offices that corrected their violations.

In the previous month, the Authority canceled four office licenses and issued about 60 new licenses. The Authority also reported receiving 377 complaints against recruitment offices during the same period.