Kuwait bans work permits for expats above 60

Dubai: Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has issued a decision to stop work permits to those above the age of 60 years, as well as holders of high school diploma or below and its equivalent, Al Seyassah Newspaper reported on Monday.

The decision will come into effect next year, the daily added.

According to reliable sources, PAM is currently preparing a decision also that restrict the renewal of work permits for expatriates who are over the age of 60, and holders of higher education certificates to a period of five years, except for those working as expert consultants, the children and spouses of Kuwaiti women, holders of Palestinian documents, and other humanitarian cases.

The renewal of residency for university graduates working in the private sector after they reach the age of 60 years will be done annually for a period of five years only. The residency of those who reach 65 years of age will not be renewed except if they have rare expertise as consultants and specialists but only until the age of 70 years.

The sources stressed that there will be a mechanism to control and verify the recruitment of government contract workers, and follow up the actual need of manpower, in addition to discussing the cancellation mechanism, adding that there will hence be new regulations on government contracts and their manpower.

Meanwhile, Aljarida daily reported that the decision will affect about 60,000 expatriates in the country who have reached the age of 60, in addition to about 5,000 to 10,000 expatriates annually who do not hold university degrees and are divided between completely illiterate or holders of elementary, intermediate, diploma and secondary certificates.

So far, there are no exceptions, although some categories would be excluded.