Kuwait Announces the Return of Exit Permits for Migrant Workers, Gives Reason
- Kuwait reintroduced exit permits for private-sector migrant workers on July 1, 2025, under a ministerial circular signed by the Interior Minister
- Workers must now apply through the Sahel app and get employer approval before leaving the country, with permits valid for one week
- Authorities issued over 100,000 exit permits in the first month alone, raising fresh concerns about the rollback of Kafala reform
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Kuwait has reinstated the exit permit requirement for private-sector migrant workers, a move that human rights advocates say deepens employer control under the country's existing Kafala labour sponsorship system.
Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef signed a ministerial circular that took effect on July 1, 2025, requiring all Visa 18 workers — the local term for private-sector migrants — to obtain permission from their employer before leaving Kuwait.
Source: Getty Images
The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) was designated to oversee the new regulations.
How the exit permit system works
Workers must apply for an exit permit through the Sahel app, Kuwait's government e-services platform, providing both their departure and return dates.
Permits are automatically valid for one week and can only be applied for between seven days and 24 hours before a scheduled departure. Once approved, the permit generates a barcode that must be printed and shown at exit points.
Workers who lack smartphone access, or who face emergencies such as injury, may have their employer apply on their behalf under PAM rules. Permits can also be processed through PAM's Ashal digital platform. There is no annual cap on how many permits a worker may receive.
In July 2025 alone, more than 100,000 exit permits were issued. Domestic workers are currently exempt from the requirement, and PAM publicly denied circulating reports that claimed otherwise.
Employer control and Kafala concerns
PAM said the policy aims to regulate worker departures, ensure legal compliance, and reduce cases where workers leave without notice. Employers, according to local media reports, have largely welcomed the move, arguing it shields businesses from potential abuse.
Critics, however, say those justifications do not hold up. Mechanisms already exist within Kuwait's court system to restrict travel for individuals with criminal records, unpaid fines, or outstanding financial obligations. The Ministry of Justice reportedly issued around 4,000 travel ban orders against both citizens and migrants in the first seven months of 2025.
Passport confiscation, which is illegal but remains widespread, is often justified by employers using the same reasoning as the exit permit system. One manager at a private company told local media that despite the new rules, his firm still holds the passports of finance staff, only releasing them three days before travel after an accounts review.
Kuwait publishes what workers are entitled to
Legit.ng earlier reported that workers in Kuwait have a legally protected right to a paid weekly rest day of no fewer than 24 consecutive hours following every six consecutive days of work, under Article 67 of the country's Labour Law.
Source: Legit.ng
