Gulf Labour Markets, Migration, and Population (GLMM) Programme

An international independent, non-partisan, non-profit programme hosted and supported by the Gulf Research Center. The programme provides data, analyses, and recommendations contributing to the improvement of understanding and management of Gulf labour migration, population, and labour markets, engaging with and respecting the viewpoints of all stakeholders.

Residence permits by type/ purpose of permit and country of citizenship of holder (Kuwait) (2009) (some nationalities)

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14 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 TOTAL ALL PERMITS
Country of citizenship Temporary permits Government sector permits Private sector permits Business Domestic help Dependant permits Study Self residence permits
ARAB COUNTRIES total
Iraq 87 153 4,324 4 78 10,597 0 252 15,495
Syria 994 4,801 52,261 90 383 72,387 2 197 131,115
Lebanon 215 1,074 19,056 53 33 22,779 3 132 43,345
Jordan 284 2,322 16,659 27 12 30,588 7 205 50,104
Palestine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Egypt 3,828 42,103 268,120 22 1,570 111,058 18 298 427,017
Other Arabs 225 2,474 12,477 5 666 13,879 29 181 29,936
Total Arab nationalities 5,633 52,927 372,897 201 2,742 261,288 59 1,265 697,012
OTHER COUNTRIES  
Iran 316 691 28,305 55 649 16,545 7 231 46,799
Philippines 1,239 3,058 42,727 0 55,985 6,769 32 42 109,852
Pakistan 1,195 2,825 94,782 41 2,931 25,613 27 19 127,433
India 5,188 16,373 267,158 46 229,724 76,504 15 46 595,054
Bangladesh 2,146 6,376 122,552 2 70,181 7,351 3 3 208,614
Sri Lanka  1,360 484 14,550 0 81,291 3,706 14 13 101,418
Other nationalities 3,481 3,920 50,200 30 110,994 22,481 529 129 191,764
TOTAL ALL NATIONALITIES 20,558 86,654 993,171 375 554,497 420,257 686 1,748 2,077,946

Source: Ministry of Interior

 

ANNEXED NOTE

 

1. Definitions

 

Residency procedures do not apply to GCC nationals.

The bidoun, a stateless population, are not included in the residency documents holders.

 

Data presented in the table are stock data: all the non-national residents holding a residence permit on December 31st, the given year. The table excludes the Bedoon, the non-Kuwaiti GCC citizens and those in irregular situation.

 

Temporary permit: An expatriate may be granted temporary residence under article 14 of the immigration regulations in special cases where he does not need or cannot get ordinary residence.

This allows the expatriate to stay for up to one year, for personal emergencies such as illness, or after resignation from employment in order to settle financial affairs or a court case.

Dependent permit: spouse, children or elderly dependent relatives can join visa holder (sponsor) in Kuwait, if the expatriate has obtained a residency and is earning a minimum of KD250 a month (private and governement sector alike).

A working wife cannot sponsor her husband as a dependent. Also, sons over the age of 21 years cannot be sponsored as dependants, though adult daughters and parents may be permitted. Dependent family members are not allowed to work on a Dependent Visa, unless they transfer it into a work visa under Kuwaiti sponsorship. This can be done only after 6 to 12 months of holding a dependent visa.

Every children including new born babies must hold a residency permit. The application for the infant’s residence must be made within 60 days of the birth

The Dependent Visa holder is permitted to stay as long as the sponsor holds a valid visa.

Self residence permit: Expatriates may sponsor themselves under article 24 of the regulations and obtain a residence for two to five years under several conditions

(among which: being aged 60 and more, having worked no less than 25 years in Kuwait, owning a capital of 10000 KD at least; being able to produce a certificate of good conduct, being effectively residing in Kuwait with his/her family, etc.).

This form of residence can be renewed upon expiry. Self-sponsored expatriates may sponsor their wives and children.

Permits 17, 18, 19 and 20 are only granted after Ministry of Labour issues a work permit.

 

2. Institution which provides data

 

Ministry of Interior

 

3. Period of data coverage

 

December 31st, 2009

 

4. Data availability

 

2009′ data is published in MoI’ 2009 Statistical Yearbook, in Chapter “Immigration statistics”, available online at: http://www.moi.gov.kw/portal/varabic/statistics/stats.htm

Last date of access: September 5th, 2013.

 

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