Kuwait has introduced tougher expatriate hiring terms, requiring employers to seek security clearance prior to new work permits. This is part of a larger initiative to simplify the labour market and give preference to national recruitment.
As per the Ministry of Interior, these fresh regulations are to strengthen national security and verify eligibility requirements for arriving workers. Now, employers need to file candidate information before approving it to run background checks, which tremendously extends the recruitment process.
Officialdom hopes the step will curb illegal hiring practices, guard against fake documents, and bring the expatriate workforce in line with Kuwait’s needs. Business leaders and recruitment agencies, though, have raised fears of delays and mounting administrative burdens.
The steps follow Kuwait’s long-term plan to rebalance its expat-to-local worker ratio, and analysts anticipate further reforms in the months ahead on sectors with high expat levels.
