Almost 715,000 individuals enrolled in the social insurance system during the initial three months of 2025
In the vibrant economy of Kuwait, salary and pension distributions vary significantly across sectors, with notable growth in the non-oil sectors and ongoing social insurance coverage expansions. This article provides an insightful look into the salary trends by sector, pension and social insurance coverage, and the situation of women in self-employment.
1. Salary Trends by Sector
The non-oil private sector in Kuwait is experiencing robust growth in 2025, as indicated by the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index. Output and new orders have increased markedly, suggesting expanding business activity and potential upward pressure on wages, although employment levels remained broadly unchanged in July 2025. The retail sector, a significant source of employment, is projected to grow steadily, with a market size of USD 22.56 billion in 2025 and an expected CAGR of 3.13% to 2030. The fastest growth is in e-commerce, offering increasing self-employment opportunities for women.
Average salaries in the government sector, where many women are employed, indicate that insured female employees outnumber males, although exact female salaries are not specified.
2. Pension and Social Insurance Coverage
Over 715,000 people in Kuwait were covered by the social insurance system in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting expanding pension coverage. Female employees in the government sector notably outnumber male employees, suggesting a solid female participation in formal retirement and pension plans within public service. However, detailed public data on pensions specifically for women in self-employment is not available.
3. Women in Self-Employment
The rapid growth of non-oil sectors, especially e-commerce in retail, could provide increasing opportunities for women entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals to enhance earnings. Government efforts to support economic diversification and non-oil growth could indirectly impact women’s self-employment by expanding market demand and possibly facilitating access to financial products or social protections in the future.
In summary, Kuwait's salary trends show moderate wage growth within a growing non-oil economy, steady expansion in retail and e-commerce sectors, and solid social insurance coverage particularly in government employment where women are increasingly represented. However, detailed data on pensions and salaries specifically for women in self-employment and retirement is limited, indicating a gap for targeted studies or policy focus. The general economic environment seems conducive to improving conditions for women entrepreneurs and retired women formally covered by social insurance.
Notably, 30 percent of self-employed women are now within the 500-dinar salary bracket, and women now constitute the highest proportion of insured individuals among the self-employed. The number of living retirees reached 160,657 among civilians and 39,587 among military personnel. For all government sector retirees, the average pension is calculated at 1,245 dinars, while among retired civilians, 154,658 receive an average pension of 1,295 dinars. Among retired civilians, women receive an average pension of 1,058 dinars, and in the oil sector, 18,300 insured male workers had an average salary of 1,469 dinars.
Sentence 1: In the non-oil private sector of Kuwait, the rapid growth in e-commerce within the retail sector is offering significant opportunities for women to engage in self-employment and potentially boost their personal-finance.
Sentence 2: Women in self-employment in Kuwait are becoming an increasingly substantial segment, with 30 percent of them now falling within the 500-dinar salary bracket, indicating potential improvements in their personal-finance scenario.
