Kuwait tightens foreign labour rules, blocks recruitment from 27 countries

Kuwait's Ministry of Interior has implemented a restructuring of its domestic labour recruitment system, restricting hiring to 10 approved countries and banning recruitment from 27 others, according to a ministry directive issued in early June 2026.

The new regulations are part of efforts to strengthen oversight and regulate administrative procedures in the domestic labour sector, according to the directive, says Gulf News.

Under the policy, recruitment of domestic workers is permitted from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam and Nepal.

Recruitment from Senegal is also allowed but is strictly limited to male workers, the directive said. It added that for some other countries, restrictions may apply specifically to female workers while male recruitment remains permitted.

The ministry has banned recruitment from 27 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. The affected Asian countries are Madagascar and Bhutan.

The African countries include Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola.

The policy update was based on recommendations and observations from several government entities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Public Authority for Manpower, the directive said.

Recruitment procedures will now be completed through Kuwait's governorates, according to the directive, which also noted that the changes have been distributed to residency affairs departments and service centres.

The move comes alongside other regulatory actions, including the suspension of 25 domestic worker agencies and the launch of a new visa enquiry service for domestic labour.