Kenyan Domestic Workers Among Those Barred from Seeking Employment in Kuwait

Kuwait, June 10, 2026 - Kenya is among 27 countries whose domestic workers have been barred from seeking employment in Kuwait, as the country enforces stricter restrictions on recruitment processes.

 In a notice, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior said that the decision followed recommendations from the country’s Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the  Power Authority of Manpower.

Alongside Kenya, other countries that have been affected include Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Madagascar, and Bhutan. 

 Others include the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Malawi, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.

According to the Ministry, the recruitment of domestic workers will only be conducted from countries such as South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Nepal, and Senegal, whereby only male workers shall be approved.

According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs, over 3,500 Kenyans are working as domestic workers, thus triggering fears of job losses in the Gulf nation.

 This comes at a time when President William Ruto’s administration is ramping up efforts to open up employment opportunities for the youth abroad, especially in the Middle East region and Europe.

An estimated 500,000 Kenyans are currently working in the Middle East, with the vast majority based in Gulf nations, specifically in Saudi Arabia (310,000), Qatar (66,000), and the UAE (30,000), working in sectors such as domestic service, hospitality, security, and construction.

The President is currently in Europe for official visits to Belgium and Norway and a State Visit to Finland aimed at attracting investment, expanding market access for Kenyan products, strengthening partnerships,  and securing employment opportunities for Kenyans.

 In Norway, the Head of State confirmed that he had secured employment for  1000 Kenyans, with recruitment expected to be complete in 2030.