Kuwait's parliament reviews proposals to cut expat numbers
Kuwait's National Assembly met yesterday to consider proposals to drastically reduce the numbers of foreign workers living in the oil-rich Gulf state.
According to the Kuwait Times, the National Assembly started reviewing the government's proposals yesterday from the human resources committee.
The committee's proposals, if passed, would see around 160,000 expat jobs replaced by national citizens.In June, the Kuwaiti prime minister said he wished to see the numbers of expats residing in the emirate reduced by 40% from the current 70% level.
Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah said at the time, "We have a future challenge to redress this imbalance."
Yesterday's recommendations included a plan for the removal as many as 370,000 expats who have been identified as having a "negative impact" on the country, the Kuwait Times reported.
Kuwaiti MP Khalil Al-Saleh, who head the committee panel, said the committee plans to meet with the minister of social affairs, Mariam al-Aqeel.
Expats currently account for 3.4 million of Kuwait's 4.8 million residents.
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