Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah has granted a two-month grace period for 15,000 expatriates under the sponsorship of bogus companies to legalize their stay in Kuwait or go back to their home countries without facing any legal problem. Affirming the decision will be implemented soon, reliable sources said Sheikh Jaber has taken into consideration the plight of the victims of bogus companies. He has formed a committee to look into the problems of these expatriates and recommend appropriate solutions. Sources clarified this decision will allow the concerned expatriates to transfer their residency from bogus to legal companies or leave the country without facing any legal problem. Sources said this decision complements the annual Amiri amnesty for Residency Law violators to correct their status.

Meanwhile, sources revealed Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Passports Affairs Major General Abdul-Hamid Al-Awadhi has conducted a comprehensive study on the issue.  Acting on the instructions of the minister, Al-Awadhi formed a committee consisting of senior Interior Ministry officials and their social affairs counterpart. Sources confirmed the committee will soon finalize procedures for the implementation of the decision and lift the warrants of arrest issued to the violators.


Sources added the owners of bogus companies have collected KD 1,500 each from expatriates who want to work in the country but found themselves in a difficult situation upon arrival in Kuwait. Sources stated these companies deliberately report violation of Residency Law or absconding among the workers to deport them and replace them with a new set of victims. Asserting the issuance of the decision coincided with the International Human Rights Day, sources confirmed the minister abhors harsh treatment of any resident in the country. Sources attributed the rising crime rate in the country to the increasing number of visa trading victims. “Some of them are involved in various crimes like theft due to their unbearable situation. They have been waiting for this decision, so they can correct their status or return to their home countries without facing any legal problem. This decision is in line with the desire of our political leaders to curb the rising crime rate and improve the condition of expatriate workers, especially those who fell under the clutches of visa traders,” sources added.


Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor recently disclosed an estimated 1,400,000 Arab and other foreign expatriates from more than 50 countries are registered at the ministry, reports Awan daily. The daily quoted a source as saying the ministry issued about 60,000 new work permits between January and October 2009, and canceled more than 100,000 work permits. Moreover, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has recorded a major decline in the issuance of work permits within the last three years, based on decisions issued by the ministry to reduced unemployed expatriates who roam the streets, the source stated.