Kuwait Times, 5 September 2022: A new residency law will be submitted by the government to the National Assembly after the elections to address the demographic structure, reduce expatriate numbers, localise jobs, increase Kuwaitisation in the private sector and reform the economy.

The laws that the government submitted to the previous National Assembly will be raised again to the new Assembly with a few changes requested by earlier parliament members and some of the candidates who have been running in the elections.

The proposed new law bans sponsors from bringing in expatriate workers without permission from the Public Authority of Manpower. It has also been saying the minister should issue a decision on the procedures, documents and fees required from the sponsor. Anyone who illegally employs workers or runaways will be subject to heavy fines ranging from 5,000 Dinars to a maximum of 50,000 Dinars and paying all costs related to deporting the workers. In repeated offences, the violations will be referred to the public prosecution.

The proposed law also prohibits sponsors contracted for government projects from submitting to competent authorities a request to recruit workers from outside the country or recruit more workers than required, which should help stop the trade in iqamas.

To reduce expatriate workers who are not required, all sponsors must pay a deposit of 500 Dinars for every worker they sponsor to ensure they are employed. Salaries are paid until the end of their service, following procedures on health insurance and the costs of sending the workers back to their countries.

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