1 day ago
The Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Residency Affairs has unveiled a sweeping set of procedural changes governing residency permits for expatriates with family ties to Kuwaiti citizens, as part of ongoing efforts to reform immigration and tighten oversight of long‑standing dependent visa arrangements. Under the new framework, children and spouses of expatriates will now be classified and processed under Article 22 of the residency law, subject to all existing Ministry regulations and eligibility conditions. The move brings greater uniformity to permits long dominated by piecemeal practice and signals a more rigorous application of residency requirements across the board. For spouses and widows of Kuwaiti nationals, the regulations take on a different structure. Wives of Kuwaitis have been reclassified under Article 26, a category that now explicitly encompasses husbands of Kuwaiti women as well. Both groups will be charged an annual fee of 15 Kuwaiti dinars (KWD) per case, regardless of gender. Widows and divorcees of Kuwaiti citizens are also eligible for residency under Article 28, at the same annual rate and subject to approval by the Ministry. One notable expansion in family coverage comes under Article 27, which now allows fee‑free residency permits for maternal uncles and aunts of Kuwaiti citizens. The inclusion of extended relatives reflects an effort to broaden support […]
1 week ago
The High Labour Court has ordered a company to pay BD627 in compensation to an expatriate worker after finding it failed to settle his end-of-service benefits and annual leave pay when his two-year contract ended. The ruling also requires the firm to pay legal interest at one per cent per year from the date the case was filed until the full amount is settled, in addition to covering court costs. The compensation includes BD251 in lieu of unused annual leave and BD376 as an end-ofservice gratuity. According to lawyer Zainab Al Halwachi, the worker was employed on a fixedterm contract for two years, earning a monthly salary of BD250, and had fulfilled his duties throughout the contract period. During proceedings, the company denied any employment relationship with the claimant and alleged that the signature on the employment contract submitted to the court was forged, requesting that the original document be produced. The worker told the court that the original contract was retained by the company, and the court also heard testimony from witnesses. In its judgment, the court said the company failed to prove that the worker had taken his annual leave or that it had paid him cash in […]
2 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has begun suspending the service that allows changes to certain job titles held by expatriate workers, according to the latest updates on the official Qiwa labour platform. The suspension affects a number of prominent positions now restricted to Saudi nationals, including general manager, sales representative, marketing specialist and procurement manager, limiting employers’ ability to amend occupational classifications for foreign employees. Qiwa, operated by the ministry, is the government’s primary digital platform for regulating private-sector labour relations, overseeing employment contracts, job classifications and workforce mobility. The move forms part of broader efforts to tighten labour-market regulation and ensure closer alignment between job titles and actual professional responsibilities, particularly in senior and commercially sensitive roles. The ministry has not said whether the restrictions are temporary or whether additional professions will be added.
2 weeks ago
Pakistanis living in the UAE and other countries can use their mobile phone SIM without being blocked by their government when they’re living abroad. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said that subscribers are required to inform their respective service providers to ensure the continuity of their service. The regulator said that in order to serve the country’s diaspora, it has “introduced facilitative measures to prevent the blocking of mobile SIMs during their foreign stay. Under this initiative, subscribers may inform their respective service providers to avail this facility for a specific duration, subject to applicable charges (if any).” This will greatly benefit more than 1.7 million Pakistani nationals living and working in the UAE. In total, there are around 10 million Pakistani citizens living and working in foreign countries, with more than half, 5.5 million, in the Gulf countries, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “This initiative enables Pakistani citizens staying abroad to retain subscriptions to their mobile SIMs, ensuring uninterrupted access to mobile services through their respective service providers,” the Pakistani regulatory body said in a statement on social media. Requirements The prepaid subscribers, it said, are required to generate at least one activity, such as making a call, sending an SMS, […]
2 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 18,000 people in a week-long nationwide campaign targeting violations of residency, labour and border security laws. The Ministry of Interior said the joint field campaigns, carried out across all regions between January 15 and January 21, resulted in the arrest of 18,200 violators. Of those detained, 11,442 were found to be in breach of residency regulations, 3,931 violated border security laws, and 2,827 were cited for labour-related offences. The operation also focused on irregular border crossings. Authorities said 1,762 people were arrested while attempting to enter Saudi Arabia illegally. Nearly half of them were Yemeni nationals, while 53 percent were Ethiopian, with the remaining one percent from other nationalities. An additional 46 individuals were apprehended while trying to leave the Kingdom through unofficial routes. Security forces also detained 11 people accused of facilitating violations by transporting, sheltering or employing illegal residents, or concealing their presence. According to the ministry, 25,477 expatriates are currently undergoing legal procedures related to residency, labour or border violations. This group includes 23,443 men and 2,034 women. As part of the enforcement process, 18,685 violators have been referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 3,011 were sent […]
3 weeks ago
More than 5,286 illegal foreign workers were deported during 2025 and the period from January 1 to January 10, 2026, according to official figures compiled from weekly inspection reports issued by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, reflecting an intensified nationwide campaign to regulate the labour market. Statistics show that the authority carried out 59,337 inspection visits and 863 joint inspection campaigns during 2025, resulting in the detection of 960 illegal and irregular workers. The inspections formed part of ongoing efforts to enforce labour and residency laws and ensure compliance across all sectors. These figures were compiled through a review of the authority’s weekly reports published throughout the year, alongside early 2026 data. Inspections Inspection activity continued into mid January 2026. Between January 11 and 17 alone, the authority conducted 850 inspection campaigns and visits, leading to the detection of 11 illegal workers and the deportation of 150 violators. During that week, a total of 813 inspection visits were carried out at shops and workplaces across all governorates, in addition to 37 joint inspection campaigns. These included 18 campaigns in the Capital Governorate, two in Muharraq, seven in the Northern Governorate, and 10 in the Southern Governorate. The inspections identified multiple […]
3 weeks ago
A contentious bill that could fundamentally alter how Expat ID cards are issued has put lawmakers and authorities at loggerheads, as parliament prepares to debate the measure on Tuesday. If passed, the amendment would stipulate that “in all cases, the ID card for a non-Bahraini shall be valid for a period not exceeding the duration of his residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain”—effectively tying the card’s validity strictly to the holder’s lawful residency. The Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee has already urged MPs to reject the proposal in principle, underscoring deep divisions ahead of the debate. Supporters argue the change would strengthen controls on overstays, curb access to ID-linked services and transactions, and increase fee revenue. The government, however, dismisses the proposal as redundant, stressing that ID cards are already automatically deactivated once residency expires, immediately cutting off access to government services, banking and other dealings that require an active card. The Ministry of Interior added that individuals leaving Bahrain are granted a 30-day grace period to settle their affairs before their ID cards are deactivated. It also warned that tying card validity to residency periods would create operational complications, as residence permits vary widely in length, […]
1 month ago
The Makkah police arrested five expatriates for engaging in acts contrary to public decency and morality at a massage parlour in the holy city. They were referred to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal procedures. The Makkah Mayoralty has completed the necessary procedures to take punitive measures against the parlour for violating the municipal regulations. The arrests were made in coordination with the General Directorate for Community Security and Combating Human Trafficking. READ MORE: Afghan National Arrested for Harassing Women in Makkah
1 month ago
Oman has tightened pre-entry requirements for expatriate workers under its professional accreditation system, requiring expatriates to verify their academic and professional qualifications before entering the country, while warning of strict penalties for forged certificates, local media reported. Zaher bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, Director of the Department of Professional Standards at the Ministry of Labour, said the measures are aimed at regulating the labour market, curbing credential fraud and raising workforce quality across key sectors. Under the system, expatriate workers seeking employment in regulated professions, including engineering, logistics and accounting, must have their qualifications assessed and approved by accredited sectoral skills units before arrival. A work practice licence is issued only after verification, and entry permits are granted solely once the licence has been approved. The ministry said it has detected cases involving the forgery of professional classification certificates and work practice licences, describing such acts as a clear violation of Omani law. It stressed that employees and companies are responsible for obtaining licences exclusively from authorised bodies and for verifying their authenticity. Sanctions for violations include fines, licence cancellation, deportation and referral to the courts, with liability extending to employers who facilitate or overlook breaches. The reforms form part of […]
1 month ago
Expatriate residents in Kuwait will no longer be permitted to remain outside the country for more than six months, under new restrictions introduced as part of updated residency regulations. The measures were set out in a ministerial decision issued by the Ministry of Interior, local media reported. The decision forms part of the executive regulations of Kuwait’s residency law and is intended to regulate residents’ status and ensure compliance with legal requirements. It applies to all categories of residency permits, with specific exemptions outlined for certain groups. According to Ministerial Decision No. 2249 of 2025, expatriate residents will no longer be allowed to remain outside Kuwait for more than six months. The rule applies to all types of residency permits, with exemptions granted to children of Kuwaiti women, property owners and foreign investors. The decision forms part of the executive regulations of the residency law and is aimed at regulating residency status and ensuring compliance with legal requirements. Separate provisions apply to domestic workers. Under Article 20, domestic staff may remain outside Kuwait for a maximum of four months, unless the sponsor submits an approved leave request through the relevant residency affairs departments or via the Sahel application. The Interior Ministry […]
30 minutes ago
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