There are indications the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will not issue absconding notifications against practitioners of prominent professions , such as doctors, jurists etc. Meanwhile, the ministry’s undersecretary has announced there will be restrictions on the issuance of new work permits except for sectors that need such permissions, adding the ministry will fill vacancies in the ministry’s care homes by recruiting expatriates and not Kuwaitis.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi. He said the move is consistent with the general direction likely to be followed after a new public authority for labor affairs is established next February.

The minister also said there will be an inclusive revamp of the manner absconding notifications against expatriate employees working in the private sector are handled. This follows confirmation that many notifications submitted by employers are actually vexatious, he noted.

He reiterated that the category of jobs exempted in that regard include media and journalism personnel, physicians, engineers, jurists. The exemption is also expected to include employees who do not have custody, like monetary custody or stores custody.

“The manner of handling absconding notifications is very serious. Hence, in case notifications are found to be vexatious, it will be dealt with decisively and employers will be punished, while the rights of workers involved will be restored,” Al-Afasi warned.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s officials will be busy inspecting and communicating with other agencies on absconding notifications. As a result, vexatious notifications will be a waste of efforts, besides hurting the worker involved, Al-Afasi explained. Also, some notifications damage Kuwait’s reputation, with respect to human rights and protecting the rights of expatriates, as stipulated by international human rights organizations, he added.

He regretted the way absconding notifications against employees are dealt with, as if they were fugitives, explaining the matter is simply a disagreement between the employer which can be resolved through the labor departments or ministerial decisions.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s undersecretary Mohammad Al-Kanderi said the ministry will restrict the number of new work permits that will be issued. He said the expatriate workforce is decreasing, which he said is ‘positive’ to the population structure of Kuwait. Al-Kanderi said 179,000 work permits were issued in 2007, which decreased to 72,000 in 2008, and has been falling steadily in subsequent years.