Kuwait cracks down on companies exploiting labor licensing loopholes
If any company or employer is found to have obtained estimated labor through illegal means, leading to an unjustified increase in worker numbers, their file will be reviewed and legal measures enforced.
• The Public Authority for Manpower has launched a fully automated service to digitize the process of assessing labor needs for private sector firms which will largely eliminate opportunities for manipulation in estimating manpower requirements and ensure allocations match the actual activities of each company.
Following the Ministry of Interior’s announcement that the Residence Affairs Investigations Department had uncovered a network issuing licenses to companies in exchange for money by manipulating the automated labor needs system, official sources at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) confirmed that strict action will be taken against violators, reported Al Jarida newspaper.
The sources explained that if any company or employer is found to have obtained estimated labor through illegal means, leading to an unjustified increase in worker numbers, their file will be reviewed and legal measures enforced.
They noted that PAM has recently launched a fully automated service through its electronic portal (Ashel/Companies) to digitize the process of assessing labor needs for private sector firms. This step, they said, will largely eliminate opportunities for manipulation in estimating manpower requirements and ensure allocations match the actual activities of each company.
The sources said the authority aims, through this step, to improve institutional performance, enhance its ability to keep pace with rapid technological changes, support innovation, and achieve customer satisfaction. This move aligns with the state’s vision of building an integrated digital society that supports sustainable development.
They noted that the service reflects the authority’s commitment to digital transformation, which helps develop the work environment, simplify procedures, and provide safe, efficient, and transparent access to services.
To use the basic needs assessment service, employers must log in to the “Easy for Corporate Services” portal with their username and password, then select “Need Assessment Services/Basic Need Assessment Request/Easy for Corporate Services” from the side menu. All licenses eligible for needs assessment requests will then appear to the applicant.
After selecting the relevant license, the system directs the user to the application screen, where required information must be entered, including the reason for the request (first time, re-estimation, change of address, or change of activity) and the number of workers requested.
Once the data is entered and the application is submitted, the system automatically verifies that the license and file meet service conditions. It then moves to the page for uploading attachments and approving the declaration, if needed.
Upon completing these steps, the system generates a transaction number and application status. Applicants can track their requests and print reports through the “Follow-up Applications” service.
