Bank guarantee must to bring Indian maids to Kuwait

To safeguard the welfare of its nationals, India has made it mandatory for employers in Kuwait to submit a bank guarantee of $2,500 before bringing a female domestic help to the Gulf nation.

A bank guarantee worth $2,500 (720 Kuwaiti Dinar) as security deposit would be submitted with the Indian embassy in Kuwait by the employer wishing to bring a female domestic worker from India to Kuwait, a statement released by the Indian embassy said on Friday.

The embassy cited instructions from the Government of India behind the move. The order was implemented with the immediate effect.

This measure is being taken to safeguard the welfare of female domestic workers in Kuwait, it said.

"The bank guarantee, provided by a bank in Kuwait, needs to be valid till such time the female domestic worker remains in Kuwait.

The Embassy will attest agreements for employment of female domestic workers in Kuwait once the above condition of Bank Guarantee is fulfilled," the statement said.

The total number of Indian expatriates in Kuwait is about 7.5 lakh, according to latest official figures. There are nearly 2.7 lakh employed in domestic sector, whereas about 3.6 lakh are deployed in private sector. There are about 1 lakh persons on dependent visas.