Kuwait: New Residency Law Expected After Election

Kuwait Times, 5 September 2022: A new residency law will be submitted by the government to the National Assembly after the elections to address the demographic structure, reduce expatriate numbers, localise jobs, increase Kuwaitisation in the private sector and reform the economy.

The laws that the government submitted to the previous National Assembly will be raised again to the new Assembly with a few changes requested by earlier parliament members and some of the candidates who have been running in the elections.

The proposed new law bans sponsors from bringing in expatriate workers without permission from the Public Authority of Manpower. It has also been saying the minister should issue a decision on the procedures, documents and fees required from the sponsor. Anyone who illegally employs workers or runaways will be subject to heavy fines ranging from 5,000 Dinars to a maximum of 50,000 Dinars and paying all costs related to deporting the workers. In repeated offences, the violations will be referred to the public prosecution.

The proposed law also prohibits sponsors contracted for government projects from submitting to competent authorities a request to recruit workers from outside the country or recruit more workers than required, which should help stop the trade in iqamas.

To reduce expatriate workers who are not required, all sponsors must pay a deposit of 500 Dinars for every worker they sponsor to ensure they are employed. Salaries are paid until the end of their service, following procedures on health insurance and the costs of sending the workers back to their countries.

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Kuwait: New Food Delivery Driver Regulations Approved

Kuwait Times, 18 August 2022: The Kuwaiti authorities have approved new food delivery driver regulations.

Among other things, they specify the driver must have a health certificate from the Ministry of Health, and a sticker representing the company must be placed on the delivery vehicle.

In addition, the deliveryman’s iqama must be for the same company he works for, and a unified uniform must be assigned to all drivers.

All relevant companies will have to comply with the regulations by 1 October.

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Kuwait: Private Pharmacies Regulations Amended

Alanba, 17 August 2022: Kuwait’s Minister of Health has issued two Decisions to control and correct the work of private pharmacies.

Under the first decision, Article 18 of Kuwait Ministerial Decision No. 395/1997 issuing the Implementing Regulations to Kuwait Law No. 28/1996 has been amended.

Under the amendment, the pharmacy management will be limited to Kuwaiti pharmacists who are licensed to practice the profession and are granted a licence to open a pharmacy.

Pharmacies will be given three months to comply.

Under the second Decision, consideration of applications for granting licences to new pharmacies in the private sector and the request to grant a licence to practice the profession of pharmacy to non-Kuwaitis will be suspended until the completion of a relevant study.

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Kuwait: Law on Appointments in Oil Sector Amended

Alanba, 4 July 2022: Kuwait’s Human Resources Development Committee has approved a proposal from a Kuwaiti MP to amend the law of appointment of graduates in the Oil Sector by dividing the employment process into two parts.

The first part will be an accumulative process where candidates are accepted by adding up the highest mark from the personal interview, the language exam, the university average and the intelligence test.

The second part will involve a two month training session with weekly tests and the candidate must pass the exam with at least 70%.

The aim of the proposal is to achieve fairness, equal opportunities and save time in qualifying competent engineers.

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Kuwait: Expatriates to be Banned from Health Clinics

Kuwait Times, 26 June 2022: Kuwait’s Health Minister has announced they are implementing a plan to ban expatriates from public hospitals, polyclinics and health centres.

The ban will apply to entities in the private sector.

Public hospitals will only be open to citizens.

The ban is being imposed to address a supply and demand issue.

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Kuwait: Smoking to Be Banned in Enclosed and Semi-Enclosed Places

Alqabas, 22 June 2022: The Legal and Financial Committee of the Municipal Council has recommended approving a ban on smoking in enclosed and semi-enclosed places, but allowing it in places designated for that in accordance with the requirements and controls contained in the Environment and Family Law.

The committee has decided to refer the draft controls and rules for naming cities, suburbs, regions, roads, streets and squares to the executive body and the legal department to express an opinion.

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Kuwait: Foreigners Residency Law Amendments to be voted on

Arabian Business, 27 May 2022: Kuwait’s Parliament is going to vote on Foreigners Residency Law amendments.

Those who own real estate in Kuwait could be offered 10-year visas, if the proposed changes are approved.

Expatriates and foreign investors in the country could also soon be granted long-term residency visas in the country.

The maximum residency period for expatriates working in the country could be increased to five years. Once the residency period expires, they will either have to leave the country or renew their residency application.

The residency visa for foreign investors is likely to be extended to 15 years.

Children whose mother is a Kuwaiti national and is married to a non-Kuwaiti could also be offered the 10-year visa.

The duration of the family visit visa is likely to be increased from three months to a year also.

Those who overstay residency permits and visit visas will be fined four instead of two Dinars a day.

Sponsors or employers would have to pay the costs of deporting expatriate workers.

Finally, the Interior Ministry will continue to be responsible for deporting expatriate workers for the public good, to maintain national security and for moral reasons.

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Kuwait: Banks Must Disclose Records of Specific Individuals and Institutions

Arab Times, 26 April 2022: Kuwait’s Central Bank has issued a Circular requiring some local banks to disclose records of specific individuals and institutions.

They relate to several accounts belonging to a marine equipment company.

They also relate to financial records of seven citizens going back eight years.

The Central Bank has issued the request following a request from the Public Funds Prosecution and Anti-Money Laundering.

The country’s Public Prosecution must be provided with all of the relevant information about the company accounts and the seven individuals for 1 January 2014 to 1 January 2021.

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