"Kuwait waives permit fees for migrants over 60 without degrees and eases job transfers,"

Kuwait recently issued a decision to revoke Article 1 of the Public Authority for Manpower Decision No. 294 of 2023, which required migrants aged over 60 and without a university degree to pay an additional annual fee of KD 250 (US$810) and obtain private health insurance.

Under the new Ministerial Resolution No. 12 of 2024, only the standard fees for issuing work permits will be required, eliminating any additional charges...

The new decision also revised Article 14 of Ministerial Resolution No. 9 of 2016, which governs employment regulations for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Under the updated rules, workers hired by SMEs can transfer within the same sector with their employer’s approval after completing one year from the issuance of their work permit. Additionally, these workers can transfer to another SME owned by the same employer within the same sector without a waiting period. However, a fee of KD 300 is required for transfers made before the one-year period...

Kuwaiti authorities have presented the recent reforms as both a ‘humanitarian policy’ and a means to enhance labour market flexibility. While authorities emphasise the protection of migrant rights, Kuwait continues its ongoing arrest and deportation campaign. On 21 October, the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry announced that it had detained and deported 21,190 migrants in irregular situations since the start of 2024.

Many migrants targeted in these campaigns have fallen into an irregular status due to poor working conditions and wage theft, and challenges in changing employers. Even with the new decision, Kuwait has one of the most restrictive policies on changing employers in the Gulf region.