Kuwait

• New Year’s Day
• The Prophet’s Ascension
• National Day
• Liberation Day
• Eid al-Fitr Holidays
• Eid Al-Adha Holidays
• Hijiri New Year
• Birthday of Prophet Muhammad

Working Hours

Employees can work up to eight hours a day, or 48 hours per week. During Ramadan, working hours are reduced to six hours per day.

Minimum Wage

KWD 60 per month for Kuwaiti nationals. KWD 150-350 per month for non-Kuwaiti nationals, depending on occupation and educational level.

Employee Tax

Tax rate	0%
Social security contribution	8%

Bonuses

There are no statutory bonus schemes in Kuwait.

Regular employment contracts for Kuwaiti and Gulf Cooperation Council nationals must include the following:

• Job title and responsibilities
• Performance standards
• Salary and leave entitlement
• Contract length (if applicable)
• Termination conditions

Unlike Kuwaiti employees, non-Kuwaiti nationals must sign a government employment contract to obtain a work permit and residence visa.

Both indefinite and fixed-term contracts are permitted in Kuwait.

Annual Leave

Minimum of 26 days’ paid holiday per year, after 100 days of service.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to:

• Six days of fully paid sick leave
• Six days of sick leave at three quarters of their wage
• Six days of sick leave at half pay
• Six days of sick leave at quarter pay

Any subsequent sick leave is unpaid.

Parental Leave

• Maternity leave: at least 70 days' paid leave, plus 100 days' unpaid leave.
• Paternity leave: none.

Termination Process

Employers in Kuwait can terminate a contract, provided they give notice in line with legal requirements.

Other grounds for termination include:

• Wrongful acts resulting in serious loss for the employer
• Repeated disobedience
• Disobedience concerning safety protocols
• Seven days’ absence without leave
• Immoral behaviour in the workplace
• Other misconduct

Employees can also terminate the contract by giving notice in line with legal requirements.

Severance Pay

Employees with at least five years of service are entitled to a lump sum payment called termination indemnity. This is equal to 15 days’ salary for each complete year of service up to five years, rising to 30 days per year thereafter. The total indemnity is limited to 1.5 year’s pay.

Under a Mauve Group Employer of Record solution, clients and workers can reap the benefits of Mauve’s Global Master Insurance Programme – a market-leading unified corporate insurance programme that connects all Mauve entities to its two preferred providers.

The insurance provides coverage in overseas locations through a combination of the master policy and its linked local policies, where required by law in certain jurisdictions. The policies include:

• Employer’s Liability and Public Liability - £10,000,000 combined limit.
• Professional Indemnity - £5,000,000 limit.
• Worker’s Compensation – Limit is dependent on location of work.

For specific information about statutory and recommended insurances in your chosen country, get in touch with Mauve.