Kuwait recently issued a decision - Opens in new tab to revoke Article 1 of the Public Authority for Manpower Decision No. 294 of 2023, which required migrants aged over 60 and without a university degree to pay an additional annual fee of KD 250 (US$810) and obtain private health insurance.
Under the new Ministerial Resolution No. 12 of 2024, only the standard fees for issuing work permits will be required, eliminating any additional charges.
In August 2020, Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) issued Administrative Decision No. 520 of 2020, which prohibited issuing or renewing work permits for migrants aged 60 and above with only a high school diploma or lower qualifications. The decision faced significant backlash from various segments of Kuwaiti society, prompting PAM to revise its stance in July 2021, allowing visa renewals for this group in exchange for an annual fee of KD 2,000 (US$2500).
The steep fees sparked further criticism, leading PAM to reduce the cost to KD 500 in November 2021. Finally, in January 2022, PAM set the annual permit fee at KD 250 and a mandatory private health insurance requirement costing approximately KD 500.
The new decision also revised - Opens in new tab Article 14 of Ministerial Resolution No. 9 of 2016, which governs employment regulations for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Under the updated rules, workers hired by SMEs can transfer within the same sector with their employer's approval after completing one year from the issuance of their work permit. Additionally, these workers can transfer to another SME owned by the same employer within the same sector without a waiting period. However, a fee of KD 300 is required for transfers made before the one-year period.
