Expats on commercial visit can switch to work permits

Foreign nationals holding commercial visit visas in Kuwait will be permitted to transfer to work permits in the private sector, the country’s Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has stated.

The move is aimed at meet growing demand for manpower by companies in Kuwait, local daily reported.

“This decision is a result of cooperation between PAM and the interior ministry and the ministerial coronavirus emergency committee, which allows those entering the country on commercial visit visas to transfer to article 18 work visas easily,” the report quoted PAM director general Ahmad Al-Mousa as saying.

Particularly, discussions were held with schools and institutes.

“We discussed the transfer of teachers arriving on commercial visit visas to work visas, especially as preparations are ongoing for the start of the new academic year. We reviewed cooperation on this issue with the interior ministry,” Mousa said.