Kuwait visa rules: Domestic workers can now transfer to private sector

Expats working in domestic sectors in Kuwait now can transfer their visa to private sector, according to the new visa rules introduced by the Kuwait government. The Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Interior Sheikh Fahad Al Yousuf Al Sabah said the decision is aimed at streamlining the transfer process adhering to the country's legal framework for labor mobility.
From July 14, domestic workers can transfer to the private sector under specific conditions, Gulf News reported.
The conditions outlined in Article One of the decision include obtaining approval from the current employer, a minimum residency period of one year with the current employer and a transfer fee of 50 dinars (about Dh600). There will be an additional charge of 10 dinars for each year of service with the current employer.
Kuwait recently announced a three-month amnesty period which ended in June. Under the amnesty scheme, expats residing unlawfully in the country were allowed to rectify their status by either paying penalties or by obtaining new residency. The third option was to leave the country without fines.
The Kuwait authorities have recently cracked down on illegal housing after 50 people were killed in a massive building fire caused by an electric short circuit. Several foreign nationals were evicted from their homes in Kuwait in the latest crackdown. According to Arab Times, several bachelor expats in Bnied Al-Gar -- where the fire incident took place-- were abruptly evicted and left on the streets after authorities enforced building code violations. Officials cut off electricity and water supplies to three buildings during the scorching summer, where temperatures in Kuwait exceed 45 degrees Celsius