29/08/2025
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29/08/2025
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KUWAIT CITY, Aug 29: Expatriates working in Kuwait’s private sector are required to obtain an exit permit before leaving the country—whether for annual vacations or even a weekend trip—which has stirred sharp debate among workers, business leaders, and rights advocates.
As per the Kuwait rule, expats must clear all traffic fines, utility bills, besides this new rule was introduced on 1st July 2025 that expats working in private sector must secure company approval for an exit permit before they can travel. Supporters say the measure plugs loopholes exploited by absconding workers and financial fugitives. Critics, however, claim it is a bureaucratic stranglehold that undermines personal freedom, discourages tourism, and even hurts the local economy.
A Clamp on Freedom of Movement
“Globally, individuals have the right to leave and return without interference unless barred by a court order. Imposing such restrictions on ordinary workers and senior executives alike is unprecedented,” one business observer told Arab Times.
Many expatriates, who once enjoyed short getaways to neighboring Gulf states on weekends, say they now feel chained down.
Take Edgar Collins, a long-time expatriate working for a private firm in Kuwait. Until recently, he would fly out every other Thursday to Dubai or Bahrain, returning by Sunday morning to head straight back to work. “Why should I inform the company how I spend my weekends? That’s my personal time,” he said. “Since exit permits were introduced, I stopped traveling altogether.”
Like Edgar, thousands of expats have halted their weekend trips. The ripple effect has hit local airlines; already, Kuwait Airport is ranked at the bottom compared to other Gulf countries for declining passenger numbers
Employers Welcome Control
But not everyone is lamenting the move. Abdul Rehman, a manager at a mid-sized private company, insists the policy protects businesses from exploitation.
“We had hired staff from abroad who immediately began job hunting,” he explained. “As soon as they found a better salary elsewhere, they vanished—sometimes taking our money with them. One accounts clerk disappeared overnight with company funds.”
Rehman said his firm now holds the passports of employees handling finances and requires company-approved exit permits before allowing travel. “Three days before an employee leaves, we issue the passport, audit the accounts, and only then allow travel. For us, this system closes loopholes.”
Fear of Retaliation
Yet workers paint a very different picture. Arshad Khan, an employee in the private sector, described the exit permit system as a weapon that employers can easily abuse.
“I have more than 30 days of accumulated leave, but every time I request time off, management refuses,” he said. “I thought about filing a complaint with the Public Authority for Manpower, but I’m scared I’ll lose my job for speaking up.”
The fear of retaliation has left many expatriates caught in a silent struggle—forced to accept restrictions on their movements or risk unemployment.
Visa Traders and Exploitation
The system has also exposed a thriving underground market. Reports suggest a significant number of expatriates working on purchased visas—acquired through illegal “visa traders”—must pay their so-called sponsors around KD 50 for an exit permit. Without this payment, they risk being stranded in Kuwait.
Loopholes in the System
Ironically, while the exit permit was designed to curb runaways, flaws in the system make it far from foolproof.
For instance, permits can be applied for up to seven days before the intended travel date. A worker planning to abscond could easily apply for approval on Day 1, vanish on Day 3, and still appear “legally cleared” by Day 7.
Another loophole lies in the complaint mechanism. If a company rejects a permit, the employee is told they may appeal to the Public Authority for Manpower. But how many workers, fearing job loss or employer retaliation, would dare take that risk?
An Overloaded Bureaucracy
The new circular has also placed immense pressure on the Public Authority for Manpower itself. In just two months, the agency has reportedly processed more than 35,000 exit permits—a staggering volume that has bogged down its already overburdened system.
Adding to the confusion, domestic workers remain exempt from the exit permit requirement, raising questions about inconsistencies in its implementation.
Unanswered Questions
The debate continues to rage:
- What happens when a business executive must travel urgently for family or medical reasons?
- Should a weekend getaway really require company approval?
- Can a system so riddled with loopholes truly stop criminals from fleeing?
For now, Kuwait’s expatriates and employers are grappling with a system that was meant to bring order but has instead delivered fear, frustration, and unintended economic consequences.
What was intended as a safeguard has quickly become a flashpoint—a bureaucratic net that catches the innocent while letting the guilty slip through.
