KUWAIT CITY, April 14:  Informed sources have revealed to a local daily that several government ministries have seen a sharp increase—nearly 25%—in retirement applications in recent weeks, particularly following the Eid Al-Fitr holiday. The wave of applications includes employees across all levels, from staff members and supervisors to department heads and managers.

Although no specific reasons were cited in the applications, sources have linked the sudden surge to growing concerns over potential changes in the disbursement terms of cash leave allowances and end-of-service benefits. Many fear upcoming regulations may impose stricter limits, including capping the maximum cash allowance for accumulated leave at 90 days and potentially altering the calculation of end-of-service gratuities.

In the past two weeks, several ministries have reported increased retirement-related activity. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for example, each received approximately 55 retirement referral requests. The General Organization for Social Insurance has also seen a noticeable rise in employee inquiries regarding retirement procedures and benefit calculations for those considering immediate retirement.

Sources noted that talk of potential changes to benefits has prompted many employees—particularly those nearing retirement eligibility—to accelerate their plans in order to take advantage of the current system. These individuals aim to secure more favorable terms before any official amendments are introduced.

It was also explained that early retirement, in most cases, does not result in significant financial loss and offers practical benefits, such as relief from attendance requirements. Notably, the fingerprint attendance system has recently been increased to require three scans per day, which may be a contributing factor in the decision-making of some employees.

The retirement applications span across various departments, indicating that the trend is not concentrated in any specific sector. The primary motivators appear to be proximity to retirement eligibility and a desire to avoid possible changes in the treatment of accrued leave and gratuities—some of which currently exceed expected limits by double.

The sources also mentioned that the recent increase includes some resignation requests. These are likely from individuals transferring between ministries, especially those still in the early stages of their careers and not yet eligible for retirement.