KUWAIT CITY – Foreign workers would find it easy to move to Kuwait for employment opportunities as the government has relaxed rules in this regard.
Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has amended the process for the issuance of work permits, allowing companies to hire foreign workers without constraints.
Local media sources report that businesses throughout Kuwait now have the freedom to recruit overseas workers based on their operational requirements, with each work permit priced at KD150 (approximately Dh1,793).
This fresh change marks the end of the previous system, which categorized companies into three groups depending on the percentage of foreign workers they could employ—100 per cent, 50 per cent, and 25 per cent of their projected labor needs.
The implementation of the fresh regulations, effective since June 1, aims to enhance the flexibility and adaptability of Kuwait’s businesses to the demands of the labor market.
The experts believe that the amended system will not only streamline access to international talent but will also help reshape the country’s economic landscape.
Under the updated rules, employers are no longer required to first transfer existing manpower within Kuwait before recruiting from abroad, making the overall environment business-friendly.
Previously, companies were compelled to fulfill their labor requirements by transferring workers internally and recruiting specific portions from overseas but this employment practice invited criticism as it increased manpower wages and, subsequently, consumer prices.
To ensure labor stability domestically, the revised regulations include a revised fee structure for issuing work permits. Initially, a work permit is obtainable for KD150 and a KD300 fee is applicable for transferring a worker from one company to another within the initial three years of employment, subject to the employer’s approval.
