The MOI's Residence Affairs department aims to improve financial conditions for workers and address labor shortages following the deportation of 80,000 violators. The process is being expedited ahead of the September 12 deadline. Additionally, 70,000 visit visas have been issued in the past six months, prioritizing family reunification.
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 22: The decision issued in July for domestic workers (Article 20) to transfer to the private sector (Article 18), the General Administration of Residency Affairs has received approximately 30,000 transfer requests. From July 14 to mid-August, around 10,000 of these requests have been processed, while the remaining applications are currently under review.
This decision offers domestic workers an opportunity to improve their financial situations by transferring them to the private sector. It also helps address the severe labor shortages affecting companies, institutions, and especially the construction sector, which has been significantly impacted by the deportation of about 80,000 violators in recent months.
Informed sources indicate that Residency Affairs is working closely with the Public Authority for Manpower to expedite the transfer process between the two sectors before the deadline on September 12.
These measures are expected to revitalize the labor market, particularly in the construction sector, which is experiencing growth due to the development of new residential cities. Additionally, they aim to alleviate the issue of “bachelors” residing in private residential areas, which has been a concern.
In another development, sources revealed that Residency Affairs has issued about 70,000 visit visas, including commercial, tourist, and family visas, over the past six months.
The administration is reportedly making significant efforts to issue these visas under the specified terms and conditions, in line with the directives of First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, who emphasized the importance of reuniting residents with their families for humanitarian reasons.
The sources also mentioned that approximately 12,000 “dependents/family” visas have been issued to eligible applicants for their spouses and children under 15 years of age, with about 20,000 more applications still under review.