Kuwait denies report it has stopped issuing work permits

Manama: Kuwait's labour ministry has denied media reports that it has stopped issuing work visas to nationals from five countries.

"We cannot make such a decision without instructions from the political leadership and the interior ministry," Mansour Al Mansour, the assistant undersecretary for the labour sector," said.

A Kuwaiti daily on Tuesday said that the ministry had stopped granting work permits to Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Afghanis.

"We have not received any official note or memo on such a ban. We have no problem applying the directives or instructions, but we have not received any in this case," Al Mansoor said, quoted by Al Shahed daily on Wednesday.