KUWAIT CITY, May 10: The Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines has confirmed that they have not received any official notification from Kuwait regarding the suspension of visas for Filipino workers. However, reliable sources have informed that a meeting of the Kuwaiti-Filipino joint committee on the issue of domestic workers is scheduled to take place in Kuwait from May 16 to May 18.

The meeting will last for three days and will focus on a variety of issues, including finding a solution to the problem of domestic workers in accordance with the bilateral agreements between the two countries, reports Al Rai. Toby Nebreda, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Migrant Labor in the Philippines, provided this information.

Sources have stated that the directive to halt the issuance of visas to Filipino workers includes both new and previously issued entry visas. Only those with valid residence permits are allowed entry into Kuwait, even if they possess a previous visa.

Filipino workers who reside in Kuwait are able to renew their residence in the usual manner, following the appropriate procedures. It is worth noting that the suspension of visas for Filipino workers was issued by Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Acting Minister of Defense, who supervises the Public Authority for Manpower. This was done in response to Manila's failure to comply with the bilateral agreement signed with Kuwait regarding employment.