The recent approval of the draft expat quota bill by the legal and legislative committee of Kuwait’s National Assembly is making headlines. The bill aims to limit the Indian population in Kuwait to 15%. Its enactment could potentially lead to over 800,000 Indians being forced to leave Kuwait. It should be noted that Kuwait is a country in the Persian Gulf region.
Key Components of the Draft Expat Quota Bill
Considered constitutional, the draft expat quota bill is now ready for transfer to the appropriate committing for the development of a comprehensive plan. It has been vocalized by lawmakers and government officials, including the Prime Minister of Kuwait, that there is a need to reduce the percentage of expats from its current 70% to 30% of the total population. The bill proposes an annual 5% reduction of expats. For instance, if expats make up 70% of the population this year, it will drop to 65% the following year, and then to 60%.
Motivation Behind the Legislation
Kuwait has witnessed growing anti-expat sentiments since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Majority of the country’s virus cases have been traced back to migrant workers living in overcrowded housing conditions. Kuwait is also attempting to lessen its reliance on foreign laborers and aims to prevent its citizens from becoming a minority group in the country. Proportional to the US’s decision to extend a 60-day ban on immigrant and non-immigrant worker visas until the end of 2020, this move signals concerns regarding Kuwait’s population structure, which is dominated by expats. This is seen as problematic as nearly one-third of these expats are either illiterate or possess limited literacy skills, and hence are unable to significantly contribute to the country’s growth. An additional concern is the impact of the oil-price crash on Kuwait’s economic situation.
An Overview of Expat Demographics
In Kuwait, expats make up 3 million of the total 4.3 million population. The largest expat community is Indians, numbering at 1.45 million. Nearly 28,000 Indians are employed in various government roles such as nursing, engineering in national oil firms, and scientific occupations. A majority of Indians, estimated to be around 500,000, are working in the private sector. Furthermore, the country hosts approximately 116,000 dependents, with nearly half of this number comprising students in various Indian schools in Kuwait.
Assessing the Situation from India’s Vantage Point
The Indian community forms an integral part of the bilateral ties between India and Kuwait. They are seen as a hardworking, law-abiding group contributing to all areas of society. India relies heavily on Kuwait for remittances, receiving nearly USD 4.8 billion in 2018. While the Indian embassy is monitoring the progress of the proposed legislation, India has not yet made any formal statement about it.
Understanding the Persian Gulf Region
The Persian Gulf region encompasses eight countries- Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), all of whom are members of the United Nations. The UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Among these countries, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia are members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Given that these countries are leading producers of crude oil and natural gas, they share common economic interests. This shared interest has given rise to their prosperity, but it has also caused economic-political entanglements among them.
Last Modified: February 8, 2024