Kuwait ends extra charges for expats over 60 with simplified work permits
Under the new decision, work permits will be issued with ordinary fees, without any additional burdens and the required duration for labor transfer within the SME sector has been reduced from three years to one year.
• Project owners are now permitted to transfer their workers to another small or medium-sized project owned by them immediately, without the one-year waiting period, upon payment of a fee of 300 Kuwaiti dinars.
The Public Authority for Manpower announced the implementation of new measures designed to streamline procedures and increase flexibility in regulating the labor market, in accordance with Ministerial Decree No. 12 of 2024, as reported by Al Anba newspaper.
The authority stated in a press release that based on the directives of Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Interior, the previous decision requiring expatriate workers aged 60 and above to pay an additional fee and provide a health insurance policy has been canceled. Under the new decision, work permits will be issued with ordinary fees, without any additional burdens.
It added that the required duration for labor transfer within the small and medium enterprises sector has been reduced from three years to one year. However, such transfers are limited to the sector itself and require the consent of the entrepreneur registered with the worker.
The authority also noted that the ban on transferring workers from the lists of distinguished individuals has been lifted, enabling all employers to recruit labor from abroad or facilitate internal transfers more freely. This move aims to enhance market flexibility.
The authority indicated that project owners are now permitted to transfer their workers to another small or medium-sized project owned by them immediately, without the one-year waiting period, upon payment of a fee of 300 Kuwaiti dinars.
The authority emphasized that these amendments are part of its efforts to enhance the efficiency of Kuwait’s labor market and provide a flexible, secure environment that aligns with the country’s aspirations for sustainable development.
