KUWAIT CITY, Dec 31: The Work Permits Committee at the Social Affairs and Labor Ministry will start accepting all work permit requests for government projects and from exempted sectors from Jan 2nd onwards, reports Al-Jarida daily.
Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs Jamal Al-Dosari had earlier issued a circular to all labor departments to this effect.
The ministry had suspended the issuance of work permits and the processing of transfer applications for a two-week period for inventory purposes in accordance with Article 11 of law No. 6/2010. Sources, however, said the suspension period did not exceed ten days this year as the ministry is keen on facilitating the work of employers, employees and private companies.
Meanwhile, sources in the ministry reacted to criticism launched by the executive director of Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch against Kuwait, saying his statements lacked credibility and accuracy since Article 5 of the private sector labor law empowers the minister of Social Affairs and Labor to issue decisions and laws to organize the relations between employees and employers.
Moreover, Minister Mohammad Al-Afasi had issued several decisions aimed at protecting the rights of domestic workers in terms of salaries, travel tickets and end of service benefits, they said.
Referring to the proposed workforce public authority, sources said as per Article 9 of private sector labor law, the authority will bring expatriate workers based on the applications of employers. They mentioned that the draft law on the authority is listed on the parliament’s agenda for approval and ratification.
The ministry is keen on improving the level of services provided to expatriate workers, noted sources.