KUWAIT CITY, Aug 3:  Shocking new figures released by Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower reveal the scale of the country’s ongoing labor crisis, with more than 20,898 work permit complaints and over 21,000 absenteeism and termination notices filed in just the first half of 2025.

The authority’s mid-year report paints a troubling picture: absenteeism reports alone totaled 21,350, although 7,827 were later dropped. Officials also rejected 843 reports after it was found that the listed employers were either shut down or nonexistent — raising concerns about phantom companies and potential labor exploitation.

The most common complaints focused on work permit issues, including family reunification, employer transfers, and final travel cancellations, amounting to 9,430 cases. Individual labor disputes followed closely with 8,646 complaints, and 3,341 cases were sent to inspection teams for further action.

Adding to the crisis, 1,362 workers sought refuge in state-run shelters, including 1,252 women housed at the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Women’s Shelter and 110 men at the Hawalli Male Shelter. Disturbingly, 15 children were also taken in — a rare admission in public reporting.

Beyond the complaints, the Authority handled over 1.1 million electronic transactions via its “Ash’al” portal, with 41.2% completed directly by employees and the rest processed automatically. Additionally, the "Sahel Business" app processed 16,100 requests, the Labor Services Portal handled 154,608, and 81,272 were processed through the Inspection app. In a nod to future reforms, 3,252 training opportunities were offered to students.

Meanwhile, the "Fakhruna" platform, aimed at empowering Kuwaiti nationals, recorded 27,144 approved transactions, and 65,412 citizens were officially employed under government-supported programs in cashier roles through Gate 3 and Gate 5.

The numbers underscore mounting pressure on Kuwait's labor infrastructure as the country grapples with regulatory enforcement, expat labor rights, and a shifting job market — all while attempting to digitize its public services and improve oversight.