A proposed law by Kuwaiti MPs has been submitted which seeks to address a long-standing demographic imbalance between expat workers and Kuwaiti nationals. If approved, it could lead to hundreds of thousands of foreign workers being laid off and replaced with locals.

The proposal includes setting proportional limits by nationality so that the number of citizens from any one country does not exceed the number of Kuwaitis, which according to Al-Khaleej Online, would lead to 844,000 Indians and 0.5 million Egyptians facing deportation.

The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai reported MP Badr Al-Mulla and others argued that the demographic imbalance has had dangerous implications amid the coronavirus pandemic, including overcrowded areas which has contributed to the spread of the virus. The fall in oil prices may also be a contributing factor for Kuwait to nationalise jobs.

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Middle East Monitor