Finding the Right Job Abroad

Foreign workers who are lucky enough to land jobs in Kuwait will find that there is a certain amount of paperwork that needs to be dealt with before they arrive in the country. 

Most large organisations who take on foreign workers will have somebody who is appointed to help them deal with the documentation and regulations and act as sponsor.  The cost of a Kuwait work permit or visa is usually met by the employer though applicants may have to pay a small processing fee when they send their details.  Information on relevant costs can be obtained from the embassy websites. 

Workers will need a passport which still has at least six months to run on it, marriage certificates and birth certificates.  Medical examinations are essential for all visa applications and a relevant certificate should be sent in with the visa application.

Anyone who is a GCC national or has the relevant documentation for residency in another GCC state may enter Kuwait without a visa.  Those who do need visas must arrange them before they arrive in the country.  People who arrive without visas are denied entry. 

In order to obtain a residence visa, applicants must first have an NOC, obtained by the sponsoring company from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour.  This should be sent to the Ministry of the Interior for a residence visa to be issued.  Applicants will then have to undergo another medical examination which includes an HIV test.  A Civil ID card can then be issued and workers will need to carry this with them at all times.