Working In Kuwait

A Profile On What To Expect When Working In Kuwait

The following information may be of help in deciding whether you would be interested in a quantity surveying or construction job based in Kuwait.

Currency

The currency in Kuwait is the Kuwaiti Dinar.
The latest exchange rates and currency conversions can be obtained by clicking here.

Political/ Economic Climate

Kuwait is a small, oil-rich Gulf state, which gained its independence from British rule in 1961. Kuwait was the first state in the Gulf to have a parliament, the National Assembly, which was restored in 1992 having been dissolved six years previously after the Gulf war. Kuwait has yet to recover its position as a trading hub for the upper Gulf since the Iraqi invasion in 1991, and has had to spend large sums rebuilding its infrastructure. In the construction industry the traditional source of project activity is oil and gas, but activity is increasing in the power and water sector, and particularly in buildings and infrastructure development. The build-operate-transfer (BOT) approach is becoming a favoured model for government contracts.  Kuwait is water self-sufficient following years of heavy investment in desalination projects: it also taps groundwater resources. Today, many resources are being used to remove land mines and clean up environmental damage left over from the Iraqi retreat, subsidised by the UN to the tune of US$5.9 billion. Ten percent of oil revenues are, by law, put into a trust to prepare for the day that Kuwait's massive oil reserves dry up. Also on the political agenda are women's rights: in May 1999, the Emir decreed that women would for the first time be able to vote and run for office in the 2003 general elections, subject to approval by the parliament. It was not approved. That same year saw Kuwait hit the world's centre stage once again, when great numbers of mainly US and British troops gathered in the emirate in readiness for the invasion of Iraq. As a result, pro-Islamic groups gained ground in parliamentary elections later that same year.

Lifestyle

Thursday and Friday make up the weekend. Ramadan, which takes place at a different time each year on the Western calendar, is strictly adhered to throughout the country. This means that eating, drinking or smoking in public from sunrise to sunset is frowned upon except for in premises run by expatriates. Arabic and Indian restaurants abound with a wide choice of delicacies although alcohol is strictly banned. The Persian Gulf provides ample opportunities for swimming, windsurfing, sailing, snorkelling and scuba diving almost all year round.

Maxim Recruitment can not offer any type of financial, taxation or immigration/visa advice to current or intending jobseekers, however we are aware of some organisations that are specialists in offering expatriates such advice.

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