(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY Dec 11 (Agencies): Kuwait decided to stop hiring Indian household and private sector employees due to disagreements over the decision of India to impose KD720 ($2500) bank guarantee on employers who want to recruit household workers from that country.
This came after the recently-concluded meeting between the concerned officials at the ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs and Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sunil Jain.
The officials allegedly failed to settle differences on the bank guarantee. Kuwaiti officials present at the meeting included Assistant Undersecretary for Passports and Citizenship Affairs Mazen Al-Jarrah Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative Faisal Al-Ateeqi and Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Jamal Dosari.
During the meeting the ambassador said there is a possibility of reviewing the decision in terms of the recruitment of male Indian workers but there is no backing down when it comes to female domestic helpers.
He explained the financial guarantee is aimed at protecting the rights of domestic workers pointing out the same principle has been applied in several countries and other membernations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) since 2007. On the other hand Al-Jarrah asserted that Kuwait will not allow anyone to add to the financial burdens of its citizens.
He stressed the Parliament will not remain silent over the bank guarantee imposed on citizens. Local dailies have reported the immigration departments and citizens service centers in various governorates were verbally informed about the recruitment ban.
Sources have been quoted as saying Al-Jarrah will soon issue an official written directive on the ban. Sources said the relevant government institutions might start implementing the ban from Thursday or next week.
The latest statistical report showed that the Indian community is the largest in Kuwait with almost 800000 members and about 200000 of them are domestic laborers. In a previous statement the Indian Embassy in Kuwait clarified the bank guarantee will be used for the repatriation of the housemaid and other dues like salary and medical expenses in case the employer fails to pay the same as per the terms of the agreement.
The statement added that if both parties agree to end the employment contract any time the employer should bring the domestic worker to the embassy and submit a written request for a refund of the bank guarantee before the final departure of the domestic worker.
The domestic worker will then be required to confirm in writing that all dues have been settled. In case the worker complains about non-payment of privileges the embassy will deduct the corresponding amount from the bank guarantee the embassy disclosed.
Several lawmakers have called for a firm stand against the decision alleging the bank guarantee is a violation of Kuwaiti laws.
They argued the protection of expatriates and their rights is the duty of the State not the embassies. A lawmaker has also warned that accepting the Indian condition could prompt other embassies to take a similar step and this could be detrimental to the entire nation.
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