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Hiring in Kuwait: costs, rules and the best EOR providers

By Mary Jones, International Employment Specialist · Reviewed by Sarah Bloom, Editor · Updated

Kuwait’s private-sector labour law requires authorisation for employment of foreign workers. A provider contract is not a substitute for the worker’s valid permit and the correct employing entity. Source ↗

For your planned hire in Kuwait, compare Teamed for expert local guidance, personal support and clear employment costs; Rivermate for teams hiring across direct and partner EOR markets.

Teamed advertises USD 599 per employee per month. Salary and statutory employer costs are additional; the fee alone is not your hiring budget.

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Compare the fit and monthly provider fees for hiring in Kuwait.

How we rank providers
01Teamed4.7/ 5Our score

Best for

HR leaders seeking local expertise, personal support and clear employment costs.

Local employment experts who explain the next step and take responsibility for helping you through it. No FX markup on payroll currency conversion. Itemised employment costs make funding and reconciliation easier to plan; exchange rates and other charges still matter.

Management fee
USD 599
Typical monthly fee provider fees · estimate
USD 599
Fee period
Per employee / month
View company : Teamed
02Rivermate3.7/ 5Our score

Best for

Direct and partner EOR coverage with human support

Management fee
USD 319–639
Typical monthly fee provider fees · estimate
From USD 499–819
Fee period
Per employee / month
View company : Rivermate
What’s included in these fees?

Per employee, per month. The estimated total includes the management fee and uses USD 6,000 monthly payroll, with 2% FX and a 1% extras reserve unless confirmed terms differ. Teamed’s confirmed terms include no FX markup on payroll currency conversion. Salary, employer contributions and refundable deposits are separate. Providers have documented coverage and are ordered by overall score, then cost transparency and FX.

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How much paid leave should a Kuwait employment package include?

Kuwait’s private-sector Labour Law provides 30 days of paid annual leave, subject to the statutory rules on first-year entitlement and proportional service. The law also addresses payment for accumulated leave when the contract ends. Include the leave entitlement and accrued balance in the employment proposal.

Paid leave already covered by salary is not a second salary cost; replacement cover and unused-leave settlement require separate treatment.

Sources: Kuwait Public Authority for Manpower: Labour Law, articles 70–73

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