The government is scheduled to issue a new circular on wage regulations for September to the most affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic, Labour Minister Nidal Bataineh said on Friday.

The new circular will be similar to Circular No. 8, Bataineh added during an interview with the Jordan TV's "60 Minutes" programme. 

Circular No.8 was issued for July and August, covering private sector employees in the most affected sectors by COVID-19, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister said that the circular allows employers, upon the approval of employees, to reduce monthly salaries by up to 20 per cent for employees who perform duties at the workplace or work remotely in the most affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employers in unaffected sectors can, upon employees' approval, reduce salaries by 50 per cent, provided that their wages after the deduction are no less than the minimum wage of JD220, he added.

Meanwhile, the minister said that a total of 466 Jordanians have applied for job opportunities in the private sector in Kuwait following the recently published advertisement by the ministry. 

So far, 146 applications have matched the requirements of the two hiring companies, Bataineh noted.

He also pointed out that two companies have chosen 94 applicants to be interviewed online through Zoom videoconferencing platform by the second-half of the month.