Kuwait Launches New E-Services for Visa Transfers as “Kafala” Reform Calls Grow

Kuwait has officially implemented a major addition to its immigration processing system by adding new digitized functionality to automate the residency environment. Ministry of Interior (MOI) declared the introduction of the advanced electronic services through the unified government application, Sahel. These changes are exclusively aimed at the Article 18 visa holders, who are workers in the private sector, enabling them to afford the process of residency transfers and renewals online. This action will help to alleviate congestion, cut the time spent on physical visits to the offices of the residency affairs department, and speed up the time the large expatriate population of the country takes to be processed.

Visa Transfer E-Services Modernize Operations

The integration of these Visa Transfer E-Services marks a pivotal step in Kuwait’s “New Kuwait 2035” vision, which prioritizes digital transformation. The government seeks to make the procedure of transferring the residency of a given sponsor to another more transparent and less administrative on both the employer and the employee. The new system also enables a shift in the work visas to temporary residency (Article 14) in special cases so that the workers are not in an illegal situation in the transitional periods. This online effectiveness should make the business environment easier to do business and facilitate the attraction of foreign talent by making the regulatory environment, which is usually complex, simpler.

Read more: New Exit Rule for Expats in Kuwait: Key Details Inside

Kafala System Reform Remains a Key Issue

While the technical upgrades have been welcomed, they have also reignited discussions regarding Kafala System Reform. According to human rights organizations and labor experts, digitization is not a significant change in the legal power dynamic in which the immigration status of a worker is conditioned by their employer. As Kuwait Labor Laws evolve, international observers continue to call for more comprehensive changes that would grant workers greater mobility and independence, effectively dismantling the traditional sponsorship structure that has long defined the region’s labor market.

Official Announcement Updates: Official Ministry of Interior – Kuwait 

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