KUWAIT CITY, April 2: Sabah Al-Jalawi, the head of professional accreditation at the Kuwaiti Association of Accountants and Auditors, has stated that certificates and academic qualifications of expats in Kuwait holding accountant positions are currently undergoing an audit. This is the first joint cooperation between government agencies, namely the Public Authority for Manpower, and public benefit associations to verify academic qualifications and link them to work permits.

Al-Jalawi stated, based on the initial figures 18,000 expatriates have obtained work visa as accountant. Currently, 13,000 graduation degrees are being examined, and 5,000 individuals with accounting titles in their work permits have not provided proof of obtaining a suitable educational qualification for their profession.

According to him, the association has partnered with a specialized company to investigate academic certificates through Dataflow. He disclosed that in the first phase of the project, the majority of forged certificates were from India, totaling 40 certificates, reports Al Qabas. He also stated that they anticipate the number of individuals targeted by the "accreditation of accounting titles" project to increase in the upcoming period to 30,000 expats holding accounting titles, whose certificates will undergo screening and auditing in collaboration with the workforce.

According to Al-Jalawi, the members of the accreditation committee are all Kuwaitis who are part of the Association of Accountants and Auditors. Additionally, there is collaboration with Kuwait University to conduct exams for applicants seeking accreditation in accounting professions, which is a first.

In terms of requirements, Al-Jalawi specified that individuals seeking an accounting title in targeted professions must present evidence of obtaining a bachelor's or diploma in the respective field, which will be reviewed by the concerned committee. Those registering for the first time must also take specialized exams conducted by Kuwait University. Passing the exam on the first attempt guarantees the acquisition of the title, and applicants have two more opportunities if they fail the first exam. They can also apply for courses provided by the association.

As for individuals with expertise, Al-Jalawi affirmed that a specialized committee conducts personal interviews, particularly for those with over a decade of experience in accounting.

He highlighted that individuals intending to enter Kuwait with accounting titles must prove their academic qualifications and present them to the appropriate committee before being issued a visa to enter the country.