Kuwait introduces new visa rules letting govt workers transfer to private sector jobs
visa rules allowing expatriates working in domestic sectors to transfer their visas to the private sector. This change, announced by the Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Interior Sheikh Fahad Al Yousuf Al Sabah, aims to streamline labor mobility while adhering to the nation's legal framework.
Starting July 14, domestic workers can transfer their visas under specific conditions, as reported by Gulf News. These conditions include obtaining approval from their current employer, having a minimum residency period of one year with the current employer, and paying a transfer fee of 50 dinars (approximately Dh600). Additionally, there is a charge of 10 dinars for each year of service with the current employer.
The announcement follows a three-month amnesty period, which ended in June, that allowed expatriates residing unlawfully in Kuwait to regularize their status. Options included paying penalties, obtaining new residency, or leaving the country without fines.
Recently, Kuwait has intensified its efforts to address illegal housing. This crackdown was prompted by a tragic fire that killed 50 people due to an electric short circuit. Authorities evicted several foreign nationals, particularly bachelor expatriates in Bnied Al-Gar, the site of the fire incident. Arab Times reported that officials cut off electricity and water supplies to three buildings, leaving many on the streets during Kuwait’s scorching summer, where temperatures exceed 45 degrees celsius.
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