Kuwait Introduces Freelance Visa Category, Gives Reason
- Kuwait announced a new freelance visa category with fees ranging from KD 750 to KD 1,000 (USD 2,450 to USD 3,270)
- First Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef made the announcement in February during a meeting with private-sector actors
- Kuwait deported 39,000 illegal workers last year following inspection campaigns, as the government targets irregular work arrangements
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Kuwait has unveiled a freelance visa category as part of ongoing labour market reforms, with the new permit carrying a fee of between KD 750 and KD 1,000, equivalent to roughly USD 2,450 to USD 3,270.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef announced the move in February 2026 during a meeting with private-sector stakeholders.
Source: Getty Images
The visa had been scheduled to launch by mid-April 2026, though the timeline may shift given current conditions in the region.
What the freelance visa seeks to address
The new category appears designed to bring order to an existing but largely informal freelance economy. Many migrant workers in Kuwait currently take on freelance work outside the terms of their official sponsorship, and the visa would give that practice a legal framework.
Al-Yousef warned that companies found illegally employing workers not registered under their sponsorship would face strict and heavy penalties. He also pointed to the scale of the problem, saying that "39,000 illegal workers were deported" during inspection campaigns last year alone.
The visa is widely seen as a move to crack down on the informal practice known as visa trading, where workers are sponsored by a company but actually work for a different employer.
Scope and worker protections still unclear
Several key details about the freelance visa remain unresolved. It is not yet known whether the scheme will apply across all sectors and professions, or whether workers who obtain it will still fall under Kuwait's existing labour law and its protections.
The country's labour market has a significant migrant workforce, and previous reform efforts have focused on curbing irregular employment practices that leave many workers in legally vulnerable positions.
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
