Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved the request of the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Issa Al Kandari, to allow the return of 179 expats stuck abroad due to flight restrictions caused by the pandemic, local media reported.
While the government allowed for the return of employees contracted by the ministry, it stated that passengers coming directly from India are barred from entering as per the government’s decision to suspend all commercial flights between India and Kuwait.
The request to return the ministry employees comes as non-Kuwaiti are still banned from entering Kuwait after the government issued a decision on February 7. It is unclear when the ban will be lifted.
So far, only first-degree relatives of Kuwaitis, members of the diplomatic core and health care workers are exempt from the decision.
Stuck abroad
Several expats working in various sectors have been stranded outside of Kuwait for months, as travel restrictions are still in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 until further notice.
The Ministry of Education has asked the Ministry of Health to allow teachers stuck abroad to return as they prepare to resume in school learning by September.
