KUWAIT: Well-informed sources at the manpower authority said the authority will not suspend visa transfers this year in view of the automated system currently being used that can provide statistics about visa transfers to other sponsors. Notably, transfers were suspended every year in the last week of December for inventory purposes. "The new system used for the first time since the authority was established is part of a plan to develop its performance," explained the sources.

Meanwhile, the manpower authority said that expats who came to Kuwait on work permits to work in small projects cannot transfer their visas to work in the private sector at all. The authority added that these workers could only transfer to another small project for the same job.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Saleh