Since October of last year, when Kuwait finally ended its visa restrictions on Pakistan, 938 Pakistani health professionals have traveled to the country looking for employment opportunities.
On June 17, the 5th batch of passengers finally arrived in Kuwait, consisting of 192 Pakistani health professionals. Farrukh Amir Sial, the Community Welfare Attaché, received them into the country.
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD tweeted, “5th Flight with 192 Pakistani Medical professionals has departed for Kuwait, bringing the total to 938. This is result of successful discussions between Pakistan & Kuwait opening up employment opportunities for Pakistani medics despite #covid.”
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5th Flight with 192 Pakistani Medical professionals has departed for Kuwait, bringing the total to 938.
This is result of successful discussions between Pakistan & Kuwait opening up employment opportunities for Pakistani medics despite #covid. @sayedzbukhari pic.twitter.com/FLZTNlRm78— Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & HRD (@mophrd) June 16, 2021
So far, around 100 technicians, 570 nurses, and 80 Pakistani doctors have received employment in Kuwait.
Kuwait implemented the travel restrictions in 2011 on five countries: Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. The reasoning provided at the time was “difficult security conditions.”
After ten years following a meeting between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah in May, Kuwait restored family and business visas for Pakistani citizens.
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The interior minister had said, “The resumption of work visas will create new employment opportunities for Pakistanis and business visas will boost trade between the two countries.”
Pakistani ex-pats play a vital role in the Gulf states’ economic development and serve as a vital source of income for Pakistan through remittances.
Foreigners account for nearly 70 percent (3.3 million) of Kuwait’s 4.8 million population, and Pakistanis constitute one of the most significant sections of the ex-pat population.
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However, the number of Pakistani ex-pats in Kuwait is lesser as compared to other GCC states. In 2019, over half a million Pakistani workers headed to the GCC countries, of which only 126 traveled to Kuwait.