KUWAIT CITY, Oct 27: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammed Al-Afasi on Thursday issued a decision allowing the transfer of commercial visit visas to work permits for all expatriates who entered the country before Sept 1.

 Despite the ban on such transfers, the minister took this step as a humanitarian gesture for these expatriates.
In another development, reliable sources from the ministry revealed around 18,000 expatriates of various nationalities left the country as of Wednesday and this number is expected to reach 25,000 by the end of the year, as a result of the heightened efforts of to reduce the population of foreigners by 34 percent. Sources said this is part of the government’s commitment to control, if not eliminate, marginal workers.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved a recommendation on the non-renewal of residency permits for expatriates found to be infected with Hepatitis C, reports Annahar daily quoting informed government sources.
Sources revealed a specialized committee tasked to study ways to combat Hepatitis C has presented the proposal. Sources explained expatriates will be required to take a laboratory test prior to the renewal of their residency permits. Anyone found to be infected with the disease will not be allowed to renew their residence permits and will be asked to leave the country without undergoing the PCR test, which is also used to detect the virus. The committee has also recommended preventing anyone found to be infected with the virus, after taking the PCR test, from entering the country, sources added.