Gulf Country Bans Domestic Workers From Kenya, 26 Other Countries
Kenyan domestic workers have been forbidden from seeking jobs in Kuwait after the Gulf country banned the recruitment of workers from Kenya and 25 other African countries.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior issued a circular updating the approved list of source nations for domestic workers while imposing broad limits on recruitment procedures.
According to the announcement, the decision was made in response to assessments and recommendations from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, and the Public Authority for Manpower.
The new policy prohibits the recruitment of domestic workers, both male and female, in 27 nations.
Among the affected countries are Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.
Kuwait Regulates Domestic Worker Recruitment, Approves 10 Countries and Bans 27..#Kuwait The Ministry of Interior has issued a circular regulating the recruitment of domestic workers, outlining approved source countries and a list of banned nations as part of updated procedures… pic.twitter.com/ACJXjh532T— Ayman Mat News (@AymanMatNews) June 8, 2026
Other countries included Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of the Congo.
Also, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Madagascar and Bhutan were also affected.
According to the circular, some of the restrictions apply specifically to female workers.
At the same time, recruitment of domestic workers, both male and female, will now only be permitted from 10 countries.
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The approved countries include South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Nepal and Senegal, which was approved for male workers only.
According to the ministry, the changes are part of revised labour procedures aimed at regulating the sector and streamlining the recruitment process.
The new directive will see thousands of Kenyan domestic workers in Kuwait lose their jobs and may force them to return home.
Close to 3,500 Kenyans are working in Kuwait, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs.
The move comes even as the government drums up export of labour with over 100,000 Kenyans currently working abroad in different fields, including domestic work and construction, among other fields.
Recently, President William Ruto secured employment for 1,000 Kenyans in Norway, with the recruitment expected to be completed by 2030.
Gulf Country Bans Domestic Workers From Kenya, 26 Other Countries
