New visas, fees eyed – Influx of 300,000 workers seen; Govt mulls nationality quotas KUWAIT: The government is considering a plan to adjust the demography of the state, informed sources have revealed. The sources said that the proposal Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Planning Hind Al-Subaih will present to the Cabinet includes setting a quota for each nationality, while seeking the opinion of the Fatwa and Legislation Department since Kuwait is committed to several international treaties. The sources said the social affairs and planning ministries are working on a study of the marketplace and the population structure to determine the numbers of various nationalities and their concentration in certain professions. Meanwhile, the Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Iqama Affairs Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah said bedoons are not allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia by car, and promised an easing of the salary conditions for reunion visas. He said iqama and visit fees will be reviewed, and new categories of visas will be introduced. Jarrah announced a study to reconsider fees for iqama and visit visas, adding a technical committee has given a proposal on the new fees that he will submit to Deputy PM and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah for approval. Sheikh Mazen said the charges under study include increasing the fee of a government visa from KD 3 to KD 10, and raising the fee of a private sector visa from KD 3 to KD 30. He said the charges must reflect economic changes and make state revenues commensurate with the services offered to individuals and companies, in addition to the fact that it will limit iqama trade. He said Article 15 of the iqama law will be activated so that an iqama will not be granted to an expat whose passport is valid for less than a year, in order to protect the expat and national security. Sheikh Mazen revealed a new multiple entry visa for one year or several months will be given to highly-skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers and legal advisors who visit the country at the request of major companies and establishments. He said a proposal is in the works to grant student visas to Arab and foreign students who wish to study in private universities in Kuwait. Students will be given the opportunity after they graduate to stay and work in Kuwait if they find a suitable job. Sheikh Mazen said a low-income couple who have a child will be granted a dependant visa without considering the minimum salary condition of KD 250. Meanwhile, an official source at the social affairs and labor ministry said the ministry decided against resuming issuance of work permits in January because this will cause confusion in the marketplace and the population structure, since 300,000 workers are expected to enter the country during the next few months. The director of the Public Authority for Manpower also rejected claims that the government is harassing expats. He said expats are welcome if they follow existing rules and conditions, along with the availability of job opportunities for them by project owners. – Al-Qabas and Al-Rai
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 10:29:06 +0000
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