KUWAIT CITY, Sept 4: Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Jamal Al-Dosary said there are no reservations in granting work permits to any nationality and the ministry’s role is related only to the assessment of the actual manpower needs of business owners, reports Al-Kuwaitiah daily.

Reiterating the ministry’s keenness on protecting the rights of the expatriate labor force, Al-Dosari disclosed the ministry does not accept absconding report against any expatriate employee whose workplace has been shut down or non-existent. He clarified the ministry has set minimum wages for various categories of expatriate workers, adding the sponsors are not allowed to keep the employees’ passports. He pointed out the new labor law in the private sector has given the inspectors the legal authority while monitoring the activities of erring business owners.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor beginning this week will implement the e-system concerning completion of all transactions related to the work sector. The new system is entirely different, reports Al-Dar daily quoting reliable sources.

The most significant feature of this service is that work permits will be issued only after the approval of the relevant authorities in the Ministry of Interior.

All labor sector transactions will be completed electronically irrespective whether they are related to transfer or renewal of work permits in addition to all other transactions with the exception of work permits which require a review.

The ministry during August is said to have completed all procedures to introduce the e-system.
This is being done in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, the Ministry of the Interior, the Public Authority for Civil Information and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and banks.

After the actual implementation of the project the ministry will distribute secret numbers to owners of businesses and companies and it is only they who will have access to the e-system for completion of all services related to the registered company in the labor sector at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.