Kuwait to Allow Labor Permit Transfers for Expats on Nov 3
- Publish date: Thursday، 03 October 2024
New decree lets expatriates shift from government projects to other sectors under specific conditions.
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Starting November 3, expatriates working on government projects in Kuwait will have the opportunity to transfer their labor permits to other sectors. This new policy, announced by Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Interior Fahd Al Yousuf, aims to enhance labor mobility in the country.
Conditions for Permit Transfers
To transfer their permits, workers must meet five specific conditions:
1. Contract Completion: The government contract or project must have ended.
2. Official Confirmation: A report from the contracting government agency or project owner must confirm that the work has finished and that the workers are no longer needed.
3. Time Requirement: At least one year must have passed since the worker was recruited.
4. Employer Approval: The current employer must give approval for the transfer.
5. Fee Payment: Workers will need to pay an additional fee of KD350.
Recent Changes for Domestic Workers
Earlier this year, Kuwait initiated a grace period that allowed domestic workers to transfer from Visa 20 (domestic sector) to Visa 18 (private sector). This transfer window, which ran from July 14 to September 12, resulted in around 55,000 domestic workers moving to the private sector, addressing a significant labor shortage.
Addressing Labor Shortages
The influx of workers is expected to help alleviate the shortage of domestic labor in Kuwait, a country with a population of 4.9 million, primarily consisting of expatriates. Recently, Kuwait has faced challenges in staffing due to a ban on Filipino domestic workers, which was lifted in June after successful negotiations.