Kuwait resolves exit permit crisis for 30,000 expat teachers amid digital system overhaul

The Ministry of Education, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, has resolved the issue of issuing exit permits for approximately 30,000 non-Kuwaiti teachers across Kuwait.

The problem emerged following the recent digital overhaul of administrative procedures through the Integrated Systems Program, which caused technical delays and procedural bottlenecks.

Sources confirmed that complaints had surged from expatriate teachers facing difficulties in securing electronic exit permits due to system updates.

The resulting congestion in educational district offices last week prompted Education Minister Dr. Jalal Al-Tabtabaei to intervene directly, coordinating with the CSC officials to expedite a solution.

Thanks to joint efforts between the Ministry’s Information Systems Department and the Civil Service Bureau, teacher data was successfully updated across all regions, allowing the automated system to process exit permit requests smoothly. In the past two days alone, hundreds of teachers were able to obtain their permits electronically with ease.

The following are the detailed step-by-step mechanism to obtain exit permits via the ‘Sahel’ App:

Teachers fill out Form No. 1 at their school, which is then sent to the Leave and Attendance Department of their educational district.

The teacher logs into the “Sahl” app, selects “Civil Service Bureau – Exit Permit Certificate (Article 17)” under services.

A “New Request” is initiated and submitted.

The applicant confirms all personal details, selects the type and period of leave, and submits the form for processing.

Once approved, the certificate remains valid for 3 months.

School administrations have been instructed to compile and submit teacher lists to expedite approvals. Teachers are urged to follow the digital steps to avoid delays.

Additionally, the Ministry is considering granting school principals direct authority to approve exit permits via the app, eliminating the need for in-person visits to district offices—an initiative expected to reduce administrative pressure and enhance digital service efficiency.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to removing procedural obstacles for teachers and affirmed that collaboration with the Civil Service Bureau will continue to enhance and streamline services while maintaining proper governance.