Kuwait Occupational Standards, Assessment & Certification Center - KOSAC

rk in the private sector. KOSAC aims to continue to contribute effectively in building a strong Kuwaiti economy through the provision of highly efficient labor that will increase productivity in the labor market. Through which, current and future socio-economic demands will be met, and productivity levels increased. The initiative of establishing the Kuwait Occupational Standards, Assessment and Certification Center “KOSAC” was taken in 1994, when the Council of Ministers assigned the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, along with the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, to study the development of a system for granting licenses for professions and to regulate the labor market. This system was envisioned to support the government's ongoing efforts in working to reduce the marginal foreign workforce, and encourage national labor to work in the private sector. Based on the findings of the study, the Council of Ministers issued a Decree No. 33/2004 dated 22/08/2004 calling for the establishment of the “Kuwait Occupational Standards, Assessment and Certification Organization” Project in order to raise the efficiency of national employment, and to assess the competencies of expatriate employees, in theory, and in practice, in order to enhance their technical performance, and increase their productivity. The Endeavour has succeeded in its first phase( 2005-2010) to develop professional standards and examination material for more than 300 occupations found in the Kuwaiti labor market. These occupations span across the various economical sectors, along with a huge data base, of which contains hundreds of examination questions for each occupation, based on a strong contribution from experts, and practitioners, in both the private, and government sectors. Following the successful completion of the project first phase, and as recognition to the vital role of the project in achieving the requirements of the development plan; and by further enhancing the State of Kuwait towards a financial and commercial center in the region; The Amiri Decree No. 321, dated 16/08/2011, was issued announcing the establishment of a specialized center; the” Kuwait Occupational Standards, Assessment and Certification Center” (KOSAC), which operates directly under the auspices of the Minister for Social Affairs and Labor. The main objective of KOSAC is to develop, and implement a national Foundation Kuwait Occupational Standards, Assessment & Certification Center KOSAC policy, an integrated set of instruments for the development of occupational standards, the assessment of competencies based on such standards and the horizontal coverage of growing number of professions, and the vertical expansion of the scope of the professional standards.