The Kuwaiti employment grew 6 per cent during 2011 in both public and private sectors, with the number of employed nationals rising by more than 21,500, better than the 16,200 gain in the previous year, according to a report.

Seventeen thousand of the new jobs were in the public sector, roughly twice the increase in public sector employment of Kuwaitis a year ago, the NBK Capital said in its report.

Of the new jobs for Kuwaitis, 21 per cent were in the private sector, keeping the public/private shares little changed from previous years, the top Kuwaiti bank stated in its report.

Kuwait’s total labor force grew by 3.2 per cent in 2011 to reach 2.18 million. For expatriates, the numbers were up in both the public and private sectors, though they fell for domestic workers.

The report pointed out that even though the expat work force rose, the growth was slower at 3.4 per cent.

According to NBK, the new employment among Kuwaitis in the private sector was 4,400. Of that about half of the new jobs in this sector went to women.
 
The number of Kuwaitis employed in the private sector rose to 80,000, the report added.

In the public sector, growth accelerated during 2011 as the government created the most jobs in more than a decade. The public sector added over 17,000 jobs for nationals in 2011.

In fact, the number of Kuwaitis entrants to the public sector nearly doubled compared to 2010, the report stated.

There were over 17,000 new public sector employees compared to 8,800 during the same period a year before; that figure was the highest ever.

The strong employment performance for Kuwaitis in the public sector was likely boosted by the approval of salary hikes in government sector.

Interestingly, the public sector added 5,500 expatriate jobs, somewhat stronger than the previous two years.

According to NBK, the share of women of the Kuwaiti work force has steadily increased, from 35 per cent since 2000 to nearly 46 per cent.

These gains are in part linked to women's educational achievements. As much as 61 per cent of women aged 25 and older have received a diploma or a higher degree, compared with 39 per cent of men, the report stated.

In the public sector, the proportion of Kuwaiti women rose from 41 per cent in 2005 to 45 per cent at the end of December 2011.

While the gain in this sector has been gradual, the private sector has seen a far more dramatic shift in women’s participation. The proportion of women employees in the private sector has risen from 39 per cent to 51 per cent over the last five years, the report stated.

According to NBK, the net change in the expatriate labor force (excluding domestic workers) reached 48,700 at the end of 2011. Public sector hiring of non-Kuwaitis was a relatively small 5,400 while the private sector hired 43,200.

On the population scenario, the report said Kuwait registered a 3.2 per cent growth to hit 3.69 million at the end of December 2011.

The number of Kuwaiti nationals reached nearly 1.18 million, or 32 per cent of the total population, saiod the report citing figures from the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI).

Growth was slightly higher than in recent years, as the population grew at an annual average of 2.9 per cent in the previous five years, it stated.

The expatriate population represented 68 per cent of Kuwait’s population at the end of 2011. Their numbers increased by roughly 80,000 (3.3 per cent) over the previous year, in part reflecting a pick up in economic activity, said the NBK report.

Growth in the expatriate population peaked four years ago at 8.6 per cent before dropping to around 0.5 per cent during 2008 and 2009. It has since recovered to a more moderate pace, it added.-TradeArabia News Service