Ministry Stops Expat Residency Transfers from Gov't to Private Sectors

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has introduced a significant decision, halting the conversion of Article 17 residency permits held by expatriates employed in the government sector into Article 18 permits for private sector employment.

This recent directive impacts individuals whose service concluded upon reaching the legal employment age or those who resigned from their positions. Security sources clarified that several ministries are leaning towards replacing expatriate workers with local citizens, resulting in the non-renewal of contracts for those reaching legal working age or reaching 60 years old. The motive behind this shift is to diminish expatriate numbers within these ministries and replace them with local citizens.

Meanwhile, the deportation count for expatriates in the current year has exceeded 40,000. This includes individuals who violated residency laws, engaged in marginal work, breached public customs, and those subjected to judicial orders.