[Kuwait] Solutions will be found to ongoing issues with expats over 60

Following the formation of the new government, Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Fahad Al-Shariaan has stressed the need to make a firm decision concerning residency permits for expatriates who are 60 years and above and without a university degree, Arab Times reports.

In his first statement the minister described the matter remaining unresolved as “worrying”, adding, “We recommend taking a decision in this file”. Al-Shariaan said, “The situation must be amended, and the matter resolved. It shouldn’t be left suspended in this manner”.

Regarding the placement of positions in the Ministry of Commerce, Al-Shariaan said, “We cannot say yes or no before we see the ministry and deal with it. However, there is nothing before we see the situation on the ground. The employees of the ministry are more knowledgeable about it, and we come as a political front. The employees of the ministry always have better knowledge about it, while we are just guests of the ministry”.

The minister stressed that “The confidence of the political leadership is an honourable thing. We hope that all will be well during the coming period, as the challenges are formidable and great. God willing, the team I will work with will be homogeneous and capable of overcoming some difficulties and arrange priorities during the coming period”. 

Meanwhile, this month the national manpower sector of the Public Authority for Manpower will reportedly launch extensive inspection campaigns on Kuwaiti workers in the private sector - employees registered under Chapter Three of General Organization for Social Insurance - in order to confirm they are on the job, according to reporting from Al-Jarida daily which cited reliable sources.

The aim of these campaigns is to establish the exact numbers in the private sector and then take decisions, expected to be issued soon, to bring their privileges on par with their counterparts in the government sector. 

According to the sources the Third Chapter workers make up about 80 per cent of the total national workforce and receive approximately 35 million dinars per month in government support. It was stressed that PAM is determined to fight fake employment in the private sector, and limit the disbursement of support only to those who deserve it, meaning those who are actually ‘on the job’.

The sources added that “the total number of those registered under Chapters Three and Five ranges between 65 and 68 thousand, and receive more than half a billion dinars annually,” stressing that according to the expected campaigns, the legitimately working citizens who are entitled to “employment support” will be identified while support to others will be stopped and money that the state spent on them will be recovered. 

The sources said several court verdicts have been issued against citizens obliging them to return the amounts taken illegally, pointing out that if a debtor citizen secures government work, the overpayment they received will be deducted from their salary on a monthly basis.

Source: Arab Times

(Quotes via original reporting)

Following the formation of the new government, Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Fahad Al-Shariaan has stressed the need to make a firm decision concerning residency permits for expatriates who are 60 years and above and without a university degree, Arab Times reports.

In his first statement the minister described the matter remaining unresolved as “worrying”, adding, “We recommend taking a decision in this file”. Al-Shariaan said, “The situation must be amended, and the matter resolved. It shouldn’t be left suspended in this manner”.

Regarding the placement of positions in the Ministry of Commerce, Al-Shariaan said, “We cannot say yes or no before we see the ministry and deal with it. However, there is nothing before we see the situation on the ground. The employees of the ministry are more knowledgeable about it, and we come as a political front. The employees of the ministry always have better knowledge about it, while we are just guests of the ministry”.

The minister stressed that “The confidence of the political leadership is an honourable thing. We hope that all will be well during the coming period, as the challenges are formidable and great. God willing, the team I will work with will be homogeneous and capable of overcoming some difficulties and arrange priorities during the coming period”. 

Meanwhile, this month the national manpower sector of the Public Authority for Manpower will reportedly launch extensive inspection campaigns on Kuwaiti workers in the private sector - employees registered under Chapter Three of General Organization for Social Insurance - in order to confirm they are on the job, according to reporting from Al-Jarida daily which cited reliable sources.

The aim of these campaigns is to establish the exact numbers in the private sector and then take decisions, expected to be issued soon, to bring their privileges on par with their counterparts in the government sector. 

According to the sources the Third Chapter workers make up about 80 per cent of the total national workforce and receive approximately 35 million dinars per month in government support. It was stressed that PAM is determined to fight fake employment in the private sector, and limit the disbursement of support only to those who deserve it, meaning those who are actually ‘on the job’.

The sources added that “the total number of those registered under Chapters Three and Five ranges between 65 and 68 thousand, and receive more than half a billion dinars annually,” stressing that according to the expected campaigns, the legitimately working citizens who are entitled to “employment support” will be identified while support to others will be stopped and money that the state spent on them will be recovered. 

The sources said several court verdicts have been issued against citizens obliging them to return the amounts taken illegally, pointing out that if a debtor citizen secures government work, the overpayment they received will be deducted from their salary on a monthly basis.

Source: Arab Times

(Quotes via original reporting)