KUWAIT CRACKS DOWN ON MISMATCHED EXPAT PROFESSIONS

KUWAIT CITY, June 22: The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) announced the issuance of Ministerial Circular No. 1/2026, introducing new regulations on the qualifications and professions of expatriate workers, which took effect on June 2. The circular is part of the ongoing efforts of PAM to develop the labor market and guarantee the alignment between academic qualifications, professional classifications and actual duties performed in the workplace.

According to PAM, the circular aims to establish a more flexible regulatory framework that reflects the evolving needs of the labor market. It stated that this objective will be achieved by ensuring the compatibility between the academic credentials of expatriate workers and the positions they occupy, thereby enhancing efficiency, transparency and the effectiveness of work-related procedures. It also clarified that the circular allows the amendment of academic qualifications or professional classifications if proven to match the actual nature of the employee’s work. It added that the amendment will be carried out in accordance with the procedures and regulations to guarantee more accurate and effective oversight of the qualifications and occupations. It added that the preparation of the Unified Kuwaiti Guide for Occupational Description and Classification is ongoing. It pointed out that the guide will improve the work environment and regulate qualifications and professions in line with labor market demands and future workforce requirements.

By Fares Ghaleb Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff