Chennai: At least 450 women from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh migrate to Gulf countries every week in search of work. And the highest migration so far has been to Saudi Arabia. According to new rules, Indian domestic workers seeking work in Kuwait will not be able to do so as Kuwait on Wednesday officially suspended issuing entry visas to Indian domestic workers.
According to reports, Kuwait was the only Gulf country that failed to comply with a condition the Indian government requested that foreign employers, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Countries, would be required to pay $2,500 as bank guarantee to hire Indian domestic workers.
This measure is being taken by the Indian government to curb violence on its citizens.
Across the Middle East, domestic workers typically hail from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Ethiopia. They work as nannies and live-in maids, often for six and even seven days a week.
Kuwait's foreign ministry was informed that its government had failed to comply with the condition by which employers sign contracts with Indian domestic workers to guarantee their rights and security, a stipulation that India imposed in light of numerous instances of abuse by their employers in gulf countries.
India in September decided to ask Gulf states to ensure their citizens pay the security deposit after Indian missions in the GCC countries received complaints about unpaid or delayed salaries and harassment. All the other GCC nations accepted the request but Kuwait.
