KUWAIT: Acting Director General of Kuwait's Manpower Public Authority Ahmad Al-Mousa said the authority is continuing the renewal of work permits as per decision 839/2015 regarding labor organization in the private and oil sectors, and that there is no change in this regard.

He said that what was mentioned in a newspaper that there is an intention to stop issuing work permits for those who spent 18 years in the country, is totally untrue, and that the manpower authority did not discuss this issue at all, adding that all its decisions regarding the market place are published in the official gazette.

He said in case of having such decision there will be a certain mechanism, and proceeded with studies, which is something that has not been done towards the published claims.

Earlier in the week a local newspaper reported that the Manpower Authority was considering a proposal to stop renewing work visas for those who have been in Kuwait more than 18 years.

The government is studying a variety of proposals intended to reduce the numbers of expatriate workers in Kuwait. Earlier proposals have suggested limiting expats working to five, 10 or at most 15 year terms. Another popular proposal a few years ago in other Gulf Cooperation Council countries suggesting limiting expatriates to two six year working terms. Foreign workers would be allowed to work six years in one Gulf country and then six years in another before being blacklisted. None of the term limit proposals have been adopted.

By Meshal Al-Salama