Kuwait is reviewing the possibility of allowing domestic workers to transfer their residency permits from Article 20 to Article 18, potentially opening a pathway for eligible workers to move from domestic employment into the private sector.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah announced the review during his second meeting with private-sector company owners and representatives, held under the theme “The Wage Payment System: Protecting the Workforce, Building a More Compliant Labour Market.”
Sheikh Fahad said the relevant authorities were examining the proposed transfer mechanism. However, the possibility remains under review, and no final decision to reopen transfers has been announced.
If approved, the move could provide domestic workers with an additional route to private-sector employment, subject to the conditions and regulations that may be established by the competent authorities.
The discussions also focused on strengthening compliance with wage-payment regulations and ensuring employers meet their legal obligations towards workers.
Sheikh Fahad revealed that the files of around 10,000 companies employing five or more workers had been suspended over salary-payment violations. Some cases involved delays in paying wages for periods ranging from several months to as long as 18 months.
He said an automated monitoring system was in place to suspend company files when employers failed to pay salaries regularly, stressing the importance of enforcing labour regulations and protecting workers’ rights.
Director-General of the Public Authority for Manpower Eng. Rabab Al-Osaimi outlined additional measures to strengthen wage monitoring, including cooperation with the Central Bank of Kuwait to verify salary withdrawals and help ensure workers receive their earnings directly.
The proposed review of domestic-worker transfers comes alongside these wider efforts to regulate employment practices, improve labour-market compliance and reinforce protections for workers across Kuwait.