Kuwaitis Jailed Over Illegal Residency Permit Trade

Three Kuwaitis convicted of illegally dealing in IQAMAS or residency permits for expatriates in the country have been sentenced to four years in prison by Kuwait's top appeals court. Final rulings have been issued.

According to media reports, one defendant works for the government's Public Authority of Manpower (PAM).

Forging documents to set up fake hotel firms was charged against the trio. The case surfaced during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Kuwaiti government recently toughened measures against illegal foreign residents and warned that expatriates covering up illegal residents would also be deported.

Authorities banned changes to expats' names, birth dates, and nationalities on work permits issued in September.

PAM explained that if an employer wants to make such changes, he/she must apply for canceling the would-be-recruited worker's visa within two weeks from the date of issuance via the Sahel app for e-government services, then inform the Interior Ministry to update the worker's data base and apply for a new work permit.

A joint coordination between PAM and the Interior Ministry led to the new measures.

PAM sources said the goal is to eliminate manipulations that were previously done illegally to recruit workers with nationalities whose permits had been revoked.

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