Working In Kuwait

Kuwait has the world’s fifth largest oil reserves and is one of the richest countries in the world per capita. Kuwait is regarded as the most developed country in the Arab League.

Kuwait City is a bustling metropolis of high-rise office buildings, luxury hotels, wide boulevards and well-tended parks and gardens.

The local currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar, usually written “KD”, sometimes before the amount, sometimes after.

Arabic is the official language although English is very widely used and all road signs etc. are bilingual. English is also the official language for major contracts. Kuwaitis do not expect westerners to know their language and there is generally little difficulty in making oneself understood in English.

climate

The ambient temperature is hot (to say the least) in summer, with official temperatures of 50°C being registered and 55 being the unofficial high in July and August. Humidity at this time of year is usually very low, due to the Northwesterly winds being hot and dry. Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, occur during July and October. What may also surprise you is how cold a winter morning can be. It has been known to approach zero, however hell very rarely freezes over.

social customs

The Arabs spend most of their time visiting family members’ homes and have less need for external provisions for social life of the kind we would take for granted. Social contact between Arabs and Westerners is largely nonexistent, no matter how friendly they are in work. Even in relatively liberal and cosmopolitan Kuwait, some are required to wear the veil and many wear the obayah. Hospitality and generosity are usually deeply ingrained and genuine, and considered high virtues. Kuwaitis have a long tradition of tolerance.

time and hours of business

Local time is 3 hours ahead of GMT. The weekend is Thursday and Friday, however for some companies you can expect to work some of Thursday. Shop hours are an unknown quantity but core hours are definitely 9.00 till 12.00 and 4.30 till 9.00 Saturday till Thursday, Friday is pot luck. The larger food stores stay open all day and the Sultan Centres are open 24 hours.

public holidays

Fixed dates include: New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Kuwaiti National Day (Feb 25), Liberation Day (Feb 26)
Variable holidays are based on sighting the moon and include: Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan), Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), Islamic New Year, Birth of the Prophet & Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet).

accommodation

Renting is the only way an expat can get a house in Kuwait and this is a simple process with most reputable real estate companies advertising in the papers or a drive around the area you fancy will see many “For Rent” signs – the obvious ones are in English, and tend to have tolerant landlords, others are in Arabic (although it’s obvious what the sign says) and should be treated with a little caution by the Westerner. Flats are available furnished or not, the difference in price for a particular area giving a rough indication what is included. For a furnished flat most furnishings provided are only a year or so old at the most.

Unlike some other Arab countries with compound life, expats and locals may share the same apartment block so discretion may be required in certain areas, check with your landlord. Where compounds are virtually nonexistent, predominantly expat tower blocks abound – two of the major ones being Fintas Towers (rent approx. KD500 min) and Fahd Al Sultan Complex (1 Bed from KD180) these tend to have better facilities such as Satellite TV, Gym, Security and parking . Expat areas where Westerners tend to gather are (but are not limited to) in the North, Salwa, Salmiya (the main shopping area outside the city), Jabriya & Mishref and towards the South, Fintas, Fahaheel, Mangaf, Mahboula and Ahmedi although the latter is almost exclusively an oil town owned by KOC (Kuwait Oil Company). Rent varies from KD230/month for a furnished one bed flat to KD1300 for a six-bed villa.

education

The expat type schools all seem to have permutations of the same few words – Kuwait, British/English, Gulf and School. So a quick look through the phone book would find: Gulf English School, Kuwait English School, British School of Kuwait etc. All the schools cater for all ages, from Kindergarten, through to “A” level and are run primarily by Western Heads, with Kuwaiti owners. Annual Fees vary from school to school (but not much) and are in the vicinity of: Kindergarten KD900 per annum, Infants (5-8) KD1500, Juniors (9-12) KD1700 & Seniors (12-16) KD1900 – A level students are more still, these fees do not include uniforms which are compulsory, but a discount may be offered for a second child. A school bus is usually available at extra cost for children in outlying areas.

dining out

One of the favourite pastimes for Kuwaitis is eating. There is even a street is Salmiya that is commonly referred to as “Restaurant Street”. It is also worth bearing in mind that outside the hotels, most restaurants will do home deliveries, often for free.

medical facilities

There are ten private clinics mostly employing expat medical staff, three of which are in the Salmiya area. They provide comprehensive services. Both operate outpatient clinics during the morning, afternoon and evening hours. On the first visit, a patient pays a fee to receive an ID card and to see a doctor. Medicine and laboratory fees are additional. All Private clinics provide emergency treatment twenty-four hours a day.

shopping

The quality of all the supermarkets is quite high and the choice more varied than the UK however shopping around can obtain a wide price difference. Most products on supermarket shelves are local but if it’s imported it will tend to be American Both the Meat Market and Fruit and Vegetable Market are located in Shuwaikh. Fish can be bought at the fish markets in Shuwaikh, Fahaheel and on the Arabian Gulf Road.