Kuwait Eyes Freelance Visa to Reform Labour Market and End Residency Trade

Proposed scheme lets expatriates work independently without sponsors while cracking down on unregulated labour.

Publish date: since 3 hours Reading time: 1 min read

Kuwait Eyes Freelance Visa to Reform Labour Market and End Residency Trade

Kuwait is planning to introduce a structured freelance visa, aiming to shake up its labour market and tackle the long-standing trade in residency permits.

Freelance Work Without Sponsors

The proposal, announced by Sheikh Fahd Al Yousef during a meeting with private sector representatives, would allow expatriates to work legally without the need for a traditional sponsor. The framework is designed to be regulated and supervised, giving workers more independence while ensuring compliance with the law.

Tackling Labour Challenges

Authorities say the move targets problems linked to unregulated labour, residency brokerage, and inflated daily wages in some low-skilled jobs — where workers sometimes earn more than KD25 per day for basic services. The goal is to improve transparency, raise service quality, and protect workers from exploitation.

How the Scheme Will Work

The first phase focuses on simple professions. Fees are expected to range between KD750 and KD1,000 annually, with renewals tied to compliance with regulations. Applicants will need to provide a verified residential address, a valid email, and personal data, with additional criteria to be announced by authorities.

The scheme is being seen as a major step toward modernising Kuwait’s labour market and giving expatriates more freedom to work independently.

To read the full story for free, please enter your e-mail

Thank you for your subscription, you will receive our Newsletter shortly

Kuwait Eyes Freelance Visa to Reform Labour Market and End Residency Trade

Freelance Work Without Sponsors

Tackling Labour Challenges

How the Scheme Will Work

Related articles