Kuwait Adjusts SME Employee Transfer Rules According to Foreign Labor Statistics

KUWAIT CITY, November 24: The Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) announced that the number of expatriates without a university degree in Kuwait reached 2,899,191 as of June. This figure includes various education levels and reflects the demographics of the country’s foreign workforce. This announcement coincides with expectations that health insurance fees for foreigners aged 60 and over who are not university graduates will be canceled. This move follows a Court of Appeal decision in March, which upheld the Court of First Instance’s decision to annul Administrative Order No. 27 of 2021 on work permit regulations.

According to statistics obtained by Al-Seyassah/Arab Times, the number of expatriates with university degrees decreased to 143,488; of these, 6,561 hold postgraduate qualifications (Masters and PhDs). In contrast, data shows that 82,040 workers are illiterate.

In addition:

There are 954,747 people in the “Read and write” category.

The total number of workers with primary education degrees is 112,933.

The number of secondary school graduates is 654,738.

The report also states that expats aged 20 and over constitute the majority of those without a university degree. Kuwait’s total expatriate population is estimated to be approximately 3,358,645 people.

In related developments, knowledgeable sources at the Public Manpower Agency have announced changes to transfer arrangements within the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector. The time required to transfer workers in this sector has been reduced from three to one year if the sponsor approves the transfer.

Sources explained that transfers from the SME sector to the private sector are not allowed. The regulation aims to address challenges faced due to disrupted projects and operational difficulties and enable better utilization of employees in small and medium-sized businesses.