The Ministry of Social Affairs issued a circular on August 4, 2026, instructing cooperative societies and unions across Kuwait to identify employees who have reached or exceeded 70 years of age. Those societies must compile lists of the affected workers and forward them to the ministry within 30 days. All financial dues, including end-of-service indemnity, have to be paid promptly under the terms of the directive. The circular applies to over-70 workers employed in these organizations nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, the measure supports job localization initiatives, the empowerment of national talent and greater efficiency in cooperative operations. The directive requires immediate termination once the lists are submitted and processed. Cooperative societies play a central role in consumer goods distribution and community services, areas where the policy is now being enforced.
Public Authority for Civil Information figures have placed Kuwait’s expatriate population at roughly 3.3 million in recent years, forming the bulk of the labor force in private and semi-private sectors including cooperatives. Earlier data from the authority showed expatriates outnumbering Kuwaiti nationals by more than two to one overall. This demographic pattern has shaped successive government efforts to adjust workforce composition through targeted policies.
The Ministry of Social Affairs circular frames the age limit as a means to create openings for younger Kuwaiti nationals entering the job market. Implementation must follow established labor regulations to guarantee proper compensation for terminated staff. Lists compiled by the societies will serve as the basis for ministry oversight of the process.
Similar workforce adjustments have appeared in other Kuwaiti sectors in prior years as authorities pursued broader national employment goals, according to records from the Ministry of Social Affairs. The current circular adds cooperatives and unions to that pattern with a clear 30-day timeline for compliance. Affected employees will receive their full entitlements before departure from their positions.
