Kuwait has publicly declared its intent to decrease its dependency on foreign workers reducing the expat population by 1 million over the next ten years.

As part of this policy, the Government will take steps aimed at preventing new expats arriving and also make Kuwait less attractive to those already in the country. For example, expats are currently only allowed access to medical care in the afternoons, unless it is an emergency. Doug Rice, director of international services for Jelf Employee Benefits said: “Both Kuwait and Oman are developing mid to long-term plans to transfer roles to native rather than migrant workers.

With this in mind it is imperative that whilst companies and their risk management departments are aware of this impact on resource management, there is even more need to seek out professional independent advice to manage international employee benefits. “Local and international healthcare plans for example, require a best-fit test for countries where there is such a changing dynamic. Advice should always be sought by companies seeking to take advantage of international growth regions for the protection of both the employer and employee.”