TN to help maids land jobs in Kuwait

CHENNAI: Overseas Manpower Corporation Limited (OMCL), a State government entity, will help in facilitating the recruitment of 500 domestic workers for jobs in Kuwait following a request from Kuwait Gate Foundation (KGF). This comes after OMCL Managing Director Dr CN Mahesvaran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with KGF for the recruitment.

Mahesvaran told TNIE that this is the first time such an MoU has been signed post Covid-19. “This is being done as per the advice of the Chief Minister and guidance of Minister of Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department. OMCL is taking all efforts to facilitate overseas employment for Tamil people and we will soon facilitate recruitment of 500 nurses for jobs in England,” Mahesvaran said.

As per the MoU signed on Wednesday with Hasan Abdulrahman, the representative of KGF, the monthly salary for freshly-recruited maids is Rs 29,500 and for those having Gulf experience, it is Rs 32,000 per month. The maids should be in the age bracket of 30 to 40 years and the foreign employer will bear entire expenses.

The MoU, valid for two years, guarantees them with monthly salary in time. To a query on what would OMCL do if the employer abuses the maids, Mahesvaran said they will notify the Ministry of External Affairs for taking up the issue with the Kuwaiti government. 

Josephine Valarmathi, coordinator of National Domestic Workers Movement in Chennai, said recruitment through OMCL is a good move but then the State should ensure that workers are paid the minimum wage of the destination country. “They should not be sent as cheap labour,” she said. 

Those interested may apply to mchousemaidkuwait21@gmail.com.