Kuwait ends fee exemptions for work visa transfers

Dubai: Kuwait has revoked longstanding fee exemptions on work visa transfers, introducing a new, standardised KD150 charge for each permit issued in a major move to tighten labour market oversight.

Under a ministerial resolution announced Thursday by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahd Al Youssef, the government repealed Article 2 of last year’s regulations, which had allowed certain sectors to avoid additional permit fees based on manpower requirements.

The changes, issued under Ministerial Resolution No. 4 of 2025, represent a significant shift in the country’s approach to work permit management.

The new rules apply to various sectors and organisations, including government-owned companies; hospitals, clinics, and health centres licensed by the Ministry of Health; private universities and schools; foreign investors accredited by the Investment Promotion Authority; sports clubs and federations; and public benefit associations, labor unions, charities, and endowments.

They also cover licensed agricultural operations, industrial facilities, commercial and investment properties, and small-scale industries.

With the repeal of the previous exemption, all work permits in these categories will now incur an additional KD150 fee, assessed individually for each permit granted. The move eliminates preferential treatment for specific sectors and is part of a wider strategy to standardise fees and processes for foreign labour.

The resolution also abolishes a requirement for the Public Authority for Manpower’s Board of Directors to conduct a one-year impact study of the 2024 decision, ending the need for formal review and recommendation prior to full implementation.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE