In its bid to address concerns over population imbalance and the need to regulate its labour market, the Kuwait government through the Ministry of Interior (MoI) along with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) have released a series of procedures to reduce the number of residency law violators, as well as unskilled and marginal workers, as shared in a report by the Arab Times.
(ALSO READ: Kuwait Assembly Committee Eyes Total Kuwaitization by 2023)
Gov’t Restructuring Cuts Expats Aged 60 and above
According to government officials, a new restructuring procedure consisting of new rules and regulations for the hiring of workers will be issued by the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) soon.
The new regulations will bar the hiring of workers who are above 60 years of age, which was lowered from 65 years and above, as implemented in the past. Furthermore, the procedure also calls for the prohibition of the renewal of work permits of expats past the age of 60, with a few exemptions in certain rare and important professions.
The said regulation will help control the hiring process to improve the quality of workers and their ability to carry out their duties, while cutting the number of expats who are above the age of 60 to address the population imbalance, officials explained.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry is believed to be working ties with several government agencies to control the release of work permits to unskilled workers based on reports warning that marginal workers easily become security risks and add strain on public services.
In line with this, the Interior Ministry is “determined” to repatriate law violators and individuals tagged with criminal offenses who are caught during security procedures.
Reports further reveal that several recommendations to address the issue includes the reduction in the issuance rate of work permits to Egyptians, Pakistanis, and Syrians to the very minimum, which will mostly be limited to government contracts, highly qualified personnel and those with specialized technical skills.
Along with these developments, fees for hiring of workers and health insurance will be raised as well. Workers will also be mandated to undergo medical examinations prior travelling to the country.
The government also hinted that a decision to limit family visas to spouses and children for only a month, without further opportunities for these to be renewed, will be enacted soon. (ALSO READ: [Update] Kuwait Visit Visa Validity Now up to 1 Month only, No more Extension)