KUWAIT: The number of non-Kuwaiti employees in the government has dropped, as the replacement policy is being implemented in government departments linked to integrated systems. Non-Kuwaiti employees in the public sector now number 81,817 after they reached 114,000 some years back, which is a 28 percent fall. State Minister for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel said non-Kuwaiti employees are of various nationalities, with 4,273 Gulf nationals, 46,968 Arabs, 183 Europeans, 27,708 Asians, 207 Africans, 196 Americans and nine Australians, in addition to 2,273 bedoons.

Based on the new numbers, there is a noticeable drop in the number of non-Kuwaiti employees working in state departments compared to previous years, as their current number is 81,817 after being 85,670 at the start of 2017, which means there is 4.5 percent drop. Compared to 2012, when their numbers were 114,890, non-Kuwaiti government employees have reduced by 28 percent in seven years. - Al-Rai