In a major policy shift, Kuwait has introduced new visa regulations allowing expatriates employed in domestic roles to transfer their visas to the private sector. This update, announced by Sheikh Fahad Al Yousuf Al Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Interior, aims to enhance labor mobility within the country’s legal framework.
Effective from July 14, domestic workers can transfer their visas under certain conditions, as reported by Gulf News. These conditions include:
- Obtaining approval from their current employer
- Having at least one year of residency with their current employer
- Paying a transfer fee of 50 dinars (approximately Rs 13,640)
- Paying a fee of 10 dinars (about Rs 2,728) for each year of service with their current employer
This policy change follows a three-month amnesty period that ended in June, during which expatriates unlawfully residing in Kuwait were allowed to regularize their status. They could pay penalties, obtain new residency, or leave the country without facing fines.
Indians in Kuwait
Kuwait, with a population of nearly 4.2 million, includes around 1 million Indians, making up 21% of the population. Indians represent 30% of the Kuwaiti workforce. According to the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) of Kuwait, the population as of December 2023 was 4.859 million, consisting of 1.546 million citizens and 3.3 million expatriates.
Indian workers are a significant part of both the private and domestic sectors in Kuwait, as noted by the Indian embassy in Kuwait. Indian professionals commonly work as engineers, doctors, chartered accountants, scientists, software experts, management consultants, and architects. The workforce also includes technicians, nurses, retail traders, businessmen, and a large number of unskilled and semi-skilled workers.
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