Are you looking for a job opportunity in Kuwait as an expat? If so, you are on the right page. Since the country has huge oil reserves, it offers many job opportunities for foreigners. Currently, thousands of foreigners are working in Kuwait. In this article, we are going to find out how you can get a job there. Keep reading to know more.
Employment opportunities
Kuwait enjoys the lowest unemployment rate in the world. It has no personal income tax, so it can offer many job opportunities for people from all over the world. However, the country encourages locals to get high-end jobs. But the good thing is that expats do not have to learn the Arabic language to be able to offer their services in the country. All they have to do is communicate in the English language.
Get a work permit
If you are an expatriate, you must obtain a work permit before accepting a job in Kuwait. However, those who are from GCC member states are not required to obtain a work permit. In this case, the employer acts as a sponsor of the expatriate. The company then takes care of the employee’s administrative tasks, such as completing the visa application and opening a bank account. Apart from this, the employer is responsible in case of violation of any regulation by her part.
After obtaining a work permit, expats can act as sponsors for their relatives. Thus, they can invite their relatives to live with them in the country. However, they will need to obtain their own work permits if they want to work in Kuwait. So you may want to keep this in mind.
The Kuwaiti government gets most of its investment from oil revenues. The interesting thing is that the government does not impose personal taxes, whether they are Kuwaiti residents or expatriates. However, foreign companies are subject to payment of taxes. The tax rate for foreign companies is 15%. However, if a local business is operating in the country, it does not have to pay taxes. Apart from this, there is no value added tax, which is another great news.
Social Security
The country has a solid social security system for nationals, which covers public health, sickness benefits, disability and pensions. The finances of the systems come from the State. However, this social security system for the public is not available for expatriates. But some employers offer similar systems for their employees.
While living in Kuwait, expats can benefit from public healthcare. Today, foreign companies are enduring immense pressure to offer private expatriate health insurance. The idea is to minimize the load on the existing system.
In short, you should consider the information provided in this article if you want to land your first job in Kuwait as an expat. Hopefully this article will help you get started and go through the process in an easy way.