"Oftentimes expatriates are hired because they add to the competitiveness of an organization. Scaring them off with tax would only reap negative consequences, especially for the private sector," according to Mohammad, a human resources manager at a major company in Kuwait.
The possible introduction of income tax in Kuwait has sparked controversy amongst expatriates and Kuwaitis alike. Many expatriates flock to the Gulf for work because the combination of a tax-free, higher range salary offers greater financial stability than they would otherwise have in their home countries.
However, a recent Kuwait Times poll showed that 43 percent of expatriates would leave Kuwait should income tax be introduced. There is an extremely large expatriate community in Kuwait, made up of individuals working in various fields. The first, and largest, sector is made up by domestic staff, construction personnel and other unskilled workers. Given the extremely low wage bracket that they're in, it's safe to assume that they won't be reaching the reported KD 30,000 minimum income required to qualify for tax payment.
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