The decision to renew work permits for an annual fee of KD 2000 for those residents who are over 60 years of age with secondary qualification or less was no less shocking than the decision of not renewing the work permit itself, Al-Rai daily reported.
Many expatriates expressed their disappointment, especially since they cannot secure the amount from their low salaries. The daily surveyed the opinions of some of those who were included in the decision.
Abu Faisal, who works on a stall in the Mubarakiya market, asked, “Do I earn KD 2000 per year from this stand?” He added, “They do not want us in Kuwait, us who are over 60 years of age.”
Abu Turki, one of the workers included in the decision, said, “I don’t have the money in my account to pay 2,000 to renew my residency.” He continued, “I pay 400 dinars to the company per month for this shop, and I only get KD150 left. How will I pay this amount?”
Abu Muhammad, one of the oldest sellers in the market, who seemed surprised by the decision, said, “This decision is in the hands of the state, and we have no other solution, so what should we do? God Kareem”.
One of the market workers, who is included in the decision, was surprised “Is this decision correct? Is it true that the government wants to take KD 2000 from me as a worker who earns 150 dinars a month? He continued, “We have completed 60 years of working in Kuwait as porters, serving Kuwait, so is our reward now expulsion?”
The wife of one of those included in the decision asked with tears in her eyes, “Where will we get KD 2000?”, adding, “We live in a country of humanity, goodness, and giving.”