Sierra Leone has been included on a new list of countries from which the State of Kuwait has prohibited the recruitment of domestic workers under revised labour migration regulations aimed at strengthening oversight of the sector.
According to a circular issued by Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, domestic worker recruitment will now be restricted to 10 approved countries, while 27 countries, including Sierra Leone, have been placed under recruitment restrictions.
The new measures took effect this week following recommendations from Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and the Public Authority for Manpower.
Under the revised policy, domestic workers may be recruited from South Africa, Benin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam and Nepal. Recruitment from Senegal will be permitted only for male domestic workers.
The list of restricted countries includes several African nations such as Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon and Rwanda, among others. Some restrictions reportedly apply only to female workers, while male recruitment may still be allowed in certain cases.
Potential Impact on Sierra Leone
Although official figures on the number of Sierra Leoneans working in Kuwait are limited, the Gulf region remains an important destination for African migrant workers seeking employment opportunities. The new restrictions could reduce future employment prospects for Sierra Leoneans hoping to enter Kuwait’s domestic service sector and may affect remittance flows from migrant workers to families back home.
The decision comes amid broader reforms in Kuwait’s domestic labour sector. In recent weeks, authorities have introduced new online visa services for domestic workers and drivers, revised sponsorship regulations and stepped up oversight of recruitment agencies as part of efforts to modernise labour administration.
Labour migration experts note that Gulf countries have increasingly tightened recruitment requirements, placing greater emphasis on bilateral labour agreements, worker protection mechanisms and regulatory compliance. Countries seeking access to these labour markets may face pressure to negotiate new recruitment frameworks and strengthen oversight systems.
As of now, neither the Government of Sierra Leone nor Kuwaiti authorities have announced any bilateral discussions regarding the restrictions. However, the development is likely to attract attention from policymakers and labour migration stakeholders given its potential implications for overseas employment opportunities.
