The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the lives of many people, especially the Indians based abroad. There have been job losses, pay cuts and a freeze in the cycle of annual increment among various other setbacks. If expatriate Indians thought that it can’t get any worse than this, then to add to their woes there is another sword of Damocles that is hanging over their heads. Yes, this piece of news is bound to give Indians, primarily those living in Kuwait, a lot of anxious moments and sleepless nights. In fact, it won’t even remain Kuwait-specific as it can spill over to the neighbouring Gulf countries as well. So, what exactly is the new development in Kuwait that has become extremely critical for the Indians residing over there?
The Expat Quota Bill
The West Asian country is looking to implement the Expat Quota Bill that seeks to restrict the number of foreigners employed in the country. The draft law has been prepared and the country’s parliament has termed it constitutional as well. If the bill is passed into law then close to 8 lakh Indian workers will be left with no option but to pack up and come back to India. The bill is aimed at reducing the foreign workers in the GCC country gradually; 70 percent this year, 65 next year and the cycle will continue for some more years as well.
What Does The Draft Law Say For The Expatriates?
The draft law specifically delves into the quota for two of its biggest expatriate communities, Indians and Egyptians. For example, Indian workers, the largest among the country’s expatriates, should not go beyond 15 percent of the national population. Similarly, Egyptians, the second largest expatriate population, should not exceed 10 percent of Kuwait’s total population. The bill will now be given to another committee to devise a detailed strategy.
The Rationale Behind Bringing Such A Bill
There is a huge number of foreign workers employed in various sectors of Kuwait. Resultantly, there was always resentment among the local population with regard to this aspect. The sound of discontent only grew louder due to the lack of job opportunities in the country because of the pandemic-induced losses. Therefore, the Kuwait government decided to “balance the population of the country” through the Expat Quota Bill. Currently, the total population in the Gulf country stands at 4.3 million with foreigners constituting a major chunk (4.3 million) and natives forming a meagre amount (1.3 million). Hence, Kuwait wants to cut down the foreign population of the country considerably.
What Does It Mean For Indians?
As per Indian Embassy in the country, close to 28,000 Indians are employed with Kuwait government in myriad capacities like nurses, engineers, doctors etc. However, the majority of them, just over 5 lakh, still work in the private sector. So, if the bill gets implemented in the country then the number of Indians in Kuwait will come down drastically by 8 lakhs. This can have a negative impact on the remittance economy, which is largely Gulf-oriented.
Bottom Line
It’s still early days, but we have to be prepared for any eventuality considering the tough times that we are in. There is already a rampant problem of unemployment in India, and if Indians in large numbers return from Kuwait eventually, how will they be accommodated in the restricted job environment of the country? A question that is bound to raise anyone’s heartbeat but warrants remedial measures in quick time.
