7,144 Kuwaitis at 'National Oil Company'... Localization leap by September

At nearly 96%... Announcement of successful candidates for employment imminent

Najah Bilal

In the context of the continuous efforts to develop the country’s oil sector and empower national elements to lead the pivotal levers of Kuwait’s economy, sources familiar with the matter revealed to “Al-Siyasa” that the names of candidates accepted for employment at the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its various affiliated companies have been approved.

The sources confirmed that the official announcement and final lists of candidates who passed the required tests and criteria will be published publicly in the coming days, allowing for the immediate initiation of their appointment procedures and integration into field and administrative roles. This step represents a crucial human resource boost that supports sustainability and growth plans across various energy, production, global marketing, and supporting logistics sectors, which form the backbone of operations at the country’s giant oil facilities.

At the same time, official data obtained by “Al-Siyasa” revealed a qualitative leap in the indicators of Kuwaitization and job localization at the National Oil Company (NOC). The figures reflected a notable success for strategic plans aimed at reducing reliance on expatriate labor and replacing it with qualified local talent to manage this vital artery. At the beginning of last September, the total workforce across the company’s various sectors stood at approximately 7,634 employees, of whom about 7,144 were Kuwaitis, representing a record success rate of 93.58% of the total workforce. This compares to 5,979 Kuwaitis at the end of the fiscal year ending on March 31 last year, when the proportion of national staff was 92.82%.

According to a source familiar with the matter, this growth in national staff within the oil sector confirms the oil system’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for Kuwaiti youth and offering promising career paths that ensure their job and professional stability, while opening wide horizons for advancement and excellence. The source noted that these rapid field developments demonstrate the serious approach adopted by executive administrations in the oil sector in implementing comprehensive replacement policies. It also highlights the pivotal role played by the Corporation in supporting national cadres through intensive training and qualification programs capable of transferring complex technical expertise to young staff, thereby ensuring continued production with high operational efficiency under the hands of nationals. This high rate of Kuwaitization serves as clear evidence of the ability of adopted strategies to achieve their developmental targets and provide real, sustainable job opportunities for new graduates across various engineering, technical, administrative, and financial specialties, keeping pace with targeted production volumes.

The source explained that the role of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation extends beyond job localization to encompass a major industrial and technological revolution led by national talent to increase the refining capacity of local refineries and develop oil and gas production processes. These national efforts have directly contributed to operating environmental projects and producing eco-friendly fuels, thereby raising the total refining capacity of local refineries following comprehensive upgrades aimed at improving the quality of oil derivatives, meeting all global and international environmental market requirements, and solidifying the country’s competitive standing globally.

He stated that this clear synergy between human resource qualification, the development of oil facility infrastructure, and increased crude oil production rates aligns perfectly with expansion and innovation plans, ensuring that Kuwait remains a primary and reliable hub for oil supplies, managed by capable national hands that efficiently and effectively oversee economic resources.