Massive Gov’t Campaign Targeting 120,000 Illegal Expats

We’ve seen how the government has designed legislation and tightened policies when it comes to immigration, work, and entry of foreign nationals in the country. The initiatives were classified in accordance with the national government’s bid to free up more jobs to nationals, and at the same time control the number of expat communities in the country.

Despite all of this, the expat population in Kuwait has been a recurring point of discussion among legislators and industry experts, with some favouring their presence, while others directly calling for their exit.

Around 120,000 Illegal Expats Targeted by Govt’s Massive Immigration Campaign
Credits: khalid almasoud/Flickr

Gov’t Launches Campaign to Capture & Deport Thousands of Illegal Expats

As such, the government is looking to launch a massive arrest and deport campaign since the number of illegal residents in the country has reached 120,000, as reported by the Arab Times Online.

Based on the data, the number has significantly increased despite the amnesty granted and waiver of fines enacted by the Ministry of Interior since last year, from which around 50,000 expats took advantage in order to rectify their status or leave the country, out of the 150,000 illegal expats in the country during that time.

Because of this, the Ministry of Interior is organizing a campaign to arrest and deport residency violators, primarily those who have been staying illegally in the country for over 10 years without reprieve.

In line with this, a number of security operatives have taken the operations to the ground to arrest, detain, and deport those who will be found to be in conflict with the law.

ALSO READ: MoI Denies Any Upcoming Amnesty for Visa Violators; PACI Urges Expats to Review Registration Records

And while there doesn’t seem to be any signs of another government amnesty taking place anytime soon, it’s important that all migrant workers attempting to enter the country through illegal means to reconsider their actions and to coordinate with authorities as to the legal proceedings for securing work or residency in Kuwait, or anywhere in the world for that matter.

Entering the country is one thing, but to exit without having been tracked by authorities is almost impossible. It’s not worth knowing what perils await those who might be caught committing residency violations against the State, but it pays to understand the process for regular compliance with the immigration procedures set by the law.

ALSO READ: Ministry to Establish Visit Visa Duration Based on Applicant’s Financial Status

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