KUWAIT CITY, Nov 12: The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has announced that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, has issued directives granting a three-month transitional grace period to owners of fishing, agricultural, and livestock businesses. This period, which extends until the end of January 2026, allows these sectors additional time to comply with regulations requiring the transfer of workers’ wages through official banking channels.

In a statement released on Wednesday, PAM explained that this decision reflects the government’s commitment to promoting stability in the labor market and ensuring the proper implementation of the Labor Law and its executive regulations. The grace period is intended to help business owners align their wage payment practices with the requirements of the national banking system, in coordination with local financial institutions.

The Authority further clarified that this initiative is rooted in Article 57 of Law No. 6 of 2010 concerning employment in the private sector, which mandates that employers must transfer salaries to their employees through approved financial institutions.

PAM emphasized that this temporary extension aims to facilitate full compliance with the Wage Protection System (WPS), ensuring that all workers’ wages are paid through traceable and transparent channels. This will enhance labor market transparency, safeguard workers’ rights, and promote discipline and accountability within the private sector.

The Authority also noted that the grace period takes into consideration the technical and logistical challenges faced by certain activities in meeting banking requirements. The additional time will allow employers to complete the process of opening bank accounts for their workers, thereby enabling smoother and more consistent implementation of the wage transfer system across all relevant sectors.