The minimum salary for expatriates to bring their families in Kuwait has been raised from 450 to 500 Kuwaiti dinars.
A recent decision to raise the salary bracket was made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah. In the said decision, expatriates need to have a salary of at least 500 Kuwaiti dinars before they can sponsor their family and live with them in Kuwait.
To the greater number of expatriates, they think that it is a lot expensive to send money to their families in another country while they also spend something for themselves in Kuwait. They think that they can save more if they can just have one expenditure rather than sending money and keeping some for themselves.
One Kuwait-born expatriate, Khalid Abu Walid, who lived in Kuwait for more than 50 years, thinks that the decision is wise and will ‘boost the transfer of expatriates to bachelorhood’.
This is not always the case to all expatriates since a huge number of residents are sending back their families to their home countries because of the high cost of living.
According to reports, the minimum salary of expats in Kuwait ranges from 350 to 700 dinars. The house rents, meanwhile, costs not less than 270 dinars and the remaining salary will not be enough to cover emergency cases concerning their family, particularly their children.
Najeh Abu Ali, another expatriate in Kuwait claims that the minimum salary of 500 dinars is still not enough considering the high cost of house rent and education of children.
“I would not advise anyone to bring his family if his salary is less than 700 dinars.” Says Najeh.
“The decision may serve Kuwait in the aspects of traffic congestion or population organization, but it is important to consider the issue from the humanitarian aspects of expatriate workers who receive a small amount compared to the fees imposed on them,” he added.
