New expat bill may force 8 lakh Indians to leave the Gulf country

科威特新外籍人士限额法案或迫使80万印度人离开这个海湾国家

As many as 7-8 lakh Indians could be forced out of Kuwait if a new bill on expats is enacted into law. The legal and legislative committee of Kuwait's National Assembly has approved the draft expat quota bill, according to which Indians should not exceed 15 per cent of the population. The bill is to be transferred to the respective committee so that a comprehensive plan is created.

如果一项针对外籍人士的新法案生效，多达70- 80万印度人或被迫离开科威特。科威特国民议会法律和立法委员会批准了《外籍人士限额法案》草案，根据该草案，印度人不得超过该国总人口的15%。该法案现在将移交给有关委员会，以便制定一项全面的计划。

The National Assembly's legal and legislative committee has determined that the draft expat quota bill is constitutional, Gulf News reported citing local media report.

《海湾新闻》援引当地媒体报道称，国民议会的法律和立法委员会已经判定，这项外籍人士限额法案草案符合宪法。

The outlet reported that 'this could result in 800,000 Indians leaving Kuwait, as the Indian community constitutes the largest expat community in Kuwait, totaling 1.45 million'.

该媒体报道称，“这可能导致80万印度人离开科威特，因为印度人社区是科威特最大的外籍人士社区，总计145万。”

Of the 4.3 million population of Kuwait, expats account for 3 million.

在科威特430万人口中，外籍雇员占300万。

The bill calls for reducing the number of Egyptians, who form the second largest expatriate community, to 10% of Kuwait's total population.

该法案要求将埃及人的数量减少到科威特总人口的10%，埃及人是科威特第二大侨民社区。

Kuwait is also a top source of remittances for India. In 2018, India received close to $4.8 billion from Kuwait as remittances. With its own citizens turning into a minority, Kuwait has been working to reduce its dependence on foreign workers. The bill is seen as a manifestation of the fact that Kuwait no longer wants to remain an expat-majority nation. Coronavirus and the slump in oil prices have also been contributing factors.

科威特也是印度海外汇款的主要来源。2018年，印度从科威特收到了近48亿美元的汇款。随着本国公民占少数，科威特一直在努力减少对外国工人的依赖。该法案则是实际行动，科威特不再想继续让外国人占多数。新冠疫情和油价暴跌也是造成这一现象的因素。

Since the begng of the pandemic, Gulf News reported last week, there has been a spike in anti-expat rhetoric as lawmakers and governmental officials call for reducing the number of foreigners in Kuwait. In the middle of this, Kuwait's PM Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah proposed reduction in the number of expats from 70% to 30% of the total population.

据《海湾新闻》上周报道，自从疫情爆发以来，反外籍人士的言论高涨，议员和政府官员呼吁减少在科威特的外国人数量。与此同时，科威特首相谢赫·萨巴赫·哈立德·哈马德·萨巴赫提议将外籍人士占总人口的比例从70%降至30%。

Official sources said the Indian embassy was closely following developments related to the proposed legislation. India has so far not made any statement on the issue.

官方消息人士称，印度大使馆正密切关注与拟议立法相关的进展。到目前为止印度尚未就此发表任何声明。

India has often in the past played up the role of Indian community in Kuwait as an important factor in bilateral ties. As the MEA says, Indians are present in all segments of society in Kuwait and are largely considered disciplined, hardworking and law-abiding.

印度过去经常强调在科威特的印度社区的作用，认为这是两国关系的一个重要因素。正如多边环境协定所说，科威特社会各阶层都有印度人，他们大都被认为勤奋、遵纪守法。

The Indian embassy in 2009 had set up an Indian Workers' Welfare Centre which provides a labour complaint redressal mechanism and accommodation for domestic workers in distress, a work contract attestation system, a toll free 24x7 telephone helpline, a free legal advice clinic and also a helpdesk to guide Indian nationals on problems faced by them.

2009年，印度大使馆建立了一个印度工人福利中心，该机构为有困难的家政工人提供劳工投诉调解机制和住宿、工作合同认证系统、24小时免费电话热线、免费法律咨询诊所和帮助台，指导印度国民解决他们面临的问题。

以下是印度经济时报读者的评论：译者：Jessica.Wu

Chandrahash Rushi

add to the stream of unemployment, loss of foreign exchange & reasserting the risk & fact that finally the issue of locals v/s outsiders always looms in case of severe economic downfall. So welcome back our Brothers.

一旦出现严重的经济衰退，加上失业和外汇损失，当地人和外地人之间的矛盾最终总会浮出水面。欢迎回国，印度同胞们。

Shri

Lets send 300 million Desis to Americas and Africa and Eurasia. Good to decrease population in India. We can send to Mars and Moon too. Cheers, Desis

向美洲、非洲和欧亚大陆发送3亿印度劳工，可以减少印度人口。我们也可以向火星和月球输送劳工。

Frigate

Sooner or later they will import labour again, may be from Philippines etc. But none will be as competent as Indians in economic respect. Anyway it is time that India thinks of population control and better employment opportunities in the country itself.

他们迟早会再次引进劳动力，可能会从菲律宾等国引进。但就成本而言，没有比印度劳动力更实惠的了。无论如何，印度是时候考虑控制人口，增加本国就业机会了。

Abbas Hussein

FILLIOS ARE EXTREMELY HARD WORKING SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH AND WORK FOR HALF THE PAY THEY ARE UNITED UNLIKE INDIANS WHO CANNOT TOLERATE EACH OTHER.

菲律宾人工作非常努力，能说一口流利的英语，工资才印度劳工的一半，他们很团结，不像印度人对彼此不包容。

Manoj

Instead of exporting labour, we should focus on improving the business climate within.

与其输出劳动力，我们不如专注于改善内部的商业环境。

Dinesh Jain

Let these Indians apply for citizenship of Kuwait. If back to India, they may not fit Indian work culture where earning money is very hard.

让这些印度人去申请科威特国籍吧。如果回到印度，他们可能不适应印度的工作文化，因为在印度挣钱非常难。

Yash Pal

No Middle Eastern country gives citizenship to Indians.

没有一个中东国家会让印度人入籍。

Abbas Hussein

NO CHANCE IN THE WORLD TO GET CITIZENSHIP IN THE GULF COUNTRIES UNLESS YOU ARE DOCTORS OR HIGHLY QUALIFIED BANK OFFICIALS.

除非你是医生或高级银行官员，否则你是不可能获得海湾国家公民身份的。

Abdul Aziz

All the countries where Indians and Pakistanis go to earn living, sooner or later are going to require expats to leave their countries.

去其他国家谋生的印度人和巴基斯坦人迟早会被要求离开的。

bv subash

well done. now our politicians are forced to rethink their preference. create more employment opportunities faster than the present speed, to stay in the seat.put the nation first.

做得好。现在我们的政客不得不优先考虑创造更多的就业机会，把国家放在第一位。

Anand v

Kick out ........

把赶出去

Prafull Panse

It looks like the gulf countries do not offer citizenship to foreigners unlike USA and other developed countries.

看来海湾国家不像美国和其他发达国家那样愿意让外国人入籍。

Vilas Save

With opportunity to work abroad shrinking,we need to take population control seriously,especially in those states that rely on employment in other parts. reliance on remittances migrant

随着海外就业机会的减少，我们需要认真对待人口控制问题，特别是那些依赖海外就业和海外汇款的邦。

John Gotti

use and throw

他们这是过河拆桥

Acumulate

Kuwaiti are lazy can not do any thing now let us see if they can clean their cars and fill petrol

科威特人很懒，什么也不会干，看看以后洗车和加油这些话他们自己能不能干

Shri

Lets base them in Africa. Great climate. Great opportunities.

让他们转战非洲吧，气候好，机会多。

NallI SURENDRA

Actually Kuwait is doing a great favour by limiting their expat work force.. the returning labour force is a much needed gap filling for india which is already struggling with shortage of skilled and semi skilled labour personnel. we have roughtly 50% shortage of labour in construction, manufacturing and services sector...Among sectors, construction and real estate face a 52 percent worker shortage, followed by manufacturing (44 percent) and pharmaceuticals (42 percent)...

实际上，科威特限制外籍劳工是帮了我们一个大忙。印度正在努力解决熟练和半熟练劳动力短缺的问题，而回流的劳动力可以弥补印度亟需的缺口。在建筑业、制造业和服务业，大约面临50%的劳动力短缺……建筑业和房地产业面临52%的劳动力短缺，其次是制造业(44%)和制药业(42%)……

NKJ

1.9 lakh workers migrated from Uttar Pradesh to the countries marked above. After Uttar Pradesh, it was the much smaller state of Kerala (98,000), then Andhra Pradesh (92,000), Tamil Nadu (78,000), Bihar (84,000), Rajasthan (50,000) and Punjab and West Bengal (both around 37,000).

北方邦有19万人到海外国家务工，其次是喀拉拉邦(98000人)，然后是安得拉邦(92000人)，泰米尔纳德邦(78000人)，比哈尔邦(84000人)，拉贾斯坦邦(50000人)，旁遮普邦和西孟加拉邦(都在37000人左右)。

sibitecc

As far as I know, without Indian technical persons, no country can run their bussiness in the Middle East. Because, salaries to other nationalities are almost three to four times high for the same position. So, hard time started to Middle Eastern countries?!.

据我所知，没有印度技术人员，任何国家都无法在中东开展业务。因为，同样职位，来自其他国家的雇员的薪水几乎是印度雇员的三到四倍。如果印度雇员离开，中东国家将开始陷入困境

Obeyer

They went there because we could not provide a job for them.

这些印度人去海湾国家务工是因为国内没有就业机会。