How to work in Kuwait from Egypt?

After obtaining the work permit, Egyptians will need to apply for a work visa (residence visa) to enter and work in Kuwait.

How can Egyptian citizens get a work visa to Kuwait?

Egyptians need to submit their work visa application to the Kuwaiti embassy or consulate in their country of residence. If no Kuwaiti mission is present, the visa can be issued through the emirate's migration service, at the request of the employer.

Documents required for Egyptians to get a Kuwait work visa

To apply for a work visa to Kuwait, Egyptians will need to provide:

• A valid passport (must be valid for at least six months)
  
• A completed visa application form from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait
  
• A passport-sized photo
  
• A copy of your work permit
• Health insurance
  
• HIV/AIDS test results
  
• A health certificate from a local doctor
  
• A criminal record certificate
  
  

If you’re applying for a job in the public sector, you’ll also need:

• The visa application form
  
• A copy of the work permit
  
• A criminal record certificate
  
• Medical documents confirming your general health and that you’re free of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases
  
  

For private sector jobs, you also need to submit:

• A No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Interior
  
• A copy of the employer’s registration certificate from Kuwait

What’s the processing time for a work visa application from Egypt?

Typically, it takes around 1 to 2 weeks for the application to be processed.

How long can Egyptian citizens stay in Kuwait with a work visa?

The work visa is typically valid for up to three years, depending on the length of the applicant's employment contract with the sponsoring company. Extensions are possible, but the work visa does not grant permanent residency.

What do Egyptian citizens need to do after arriving in Kuwait?

Upon arrival, Egyptian citizens must sign an employment contract in triplicate (usually in both Arabic and English). The employee keeps one copy, the company keeps another, and the third is submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (also known as "shuun"). If necessary, the contract should be translated into a language the employee can understand before signing.

The employment contract will specify the nature of the job, the salary, payment method, working days per week, and the contract duration.

Once the contract is signed, the employer must provide health insurance, a residence permit (iqama), and a civil ID to the employee. The employer is also responsible for covering the costs of the insurance policy and the state fees for issuing or renewing the residence permit.

What are the required documents for Egyptians to apply for a residence permit in Kuwait?

To apply for a residence permit in Kuwait, Egyptians must submit the following documents to the Ministry of the Interior's Immigration Department or its regional offices. This is typically done by the employer or their representative (the "mandub"):

• Application form (signed by both employee and employer with the employer’s seal)
  
• Passport
  
• 2 passport-sized photos (3.5x4.5 cm, blue background)
  
• Employment permit
  
• Ministry of Interior’s permission
  
• Medical certificate from an accredited medical institution (legalized and translated into Arabic)
  
• Certificate stating no criminal record and no criminal liability (legalized and with a certified Arabic translation)

One of the characteristic features of labor legislation in Kuwait is the so-called the "sponsorship system" (or "kafala"), which imposes certain restrictions on migrant workers' right to change the Kuwaiti employer ("sponsor") who invited them to Kuwait and issued them a work and residence permit.

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So, foreigners who have worked for at least one year at their previous employer are entitled to change their place of work without obtaining a new work visa. At the same time, a necessary condition for a change of employer is that the foreign employee receives the appropriate consent of the current "sponsor".

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If the employer refuses to grant the specified permission, the employee can apply to the territorial body of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs ("labor office" or "shuun"). If the specified body establishes that the employer has violated the terms of the employment contract or the provisions of the labor law, it can authorize the transfer of the employee to a new employer regardless of the wishes of his previous "sponsor".

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At the same time, foreigners employed in the public sector and domestic workers are allowed to transfer to a new employer only with the consent of the current "sponsor", without the possibility of appealing to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

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It should be noted that the above mechanism of changing the place of work is allowed only within the same specialty. In the event of a change of occupation, or failure to obtain permission to change employers, the employee must cancel his previous work visa, leave Kuwait and enter with a new work visa obtained on the basis of a new employment permit. At the same time, such persons do not necessarily have to return to their country of citizenship or permanent residence. They can go to any third country, even neighboring Kuwait, and return to the emirate after 48 hours, provided they have all the necessary documents for employment at the new place of work (in particular, a medical certificate and a certificate of non-criminal liability).

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On the other hand, Kuwaiti employer companies are fully responsible for the stay of foreign workers in Kuwait (in terms of providing housing, proper working conditions, health insurance policies, timely issuance of relevant residence permits, etc.).

A domestic servant visa is a type of residence visa that can be granted to a permanent foreign resident who has been hired from a country outside of Kuwait.

The visa is granted because expatriates are usually allowed to bring a full-time domestic helper to Kuwait.

Basic requirements:

• The age of the domestic worker is 20-50 years;
• A male sponsor must have a wife to hire a domestic helper;
• There are no minimum wage requirements if the sponsor's husband and wife work and if the sponsor's family has children;

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Upon arrival in Kuwait, passport photos and documents will be required to obtain a domestic worker visa.

The assistant must pay a living fee of 200,00 KD for the first year and 10,00 KD for subsequent years.

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How to get a visa?

1. To obtain such a visa, you need to contact the Kuwaiti Embassy/Consulate.
2. The application form will then need to be filled out in Arabic.
3. A domestic worker for whom a visa is issued must visit the Kuwaiti embassy in his country.

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To obtain a visa for a domestic worker, the following documents are required:

1. Salary certificates of both the sponsor and the spouse;
2. Photocopy of the house lease agreement;
3. A photocopy of the passport of both sponsors and their spouse;
4. Certificate of age of children (photocopy of local birth certificate or passport);
5. A photocopy of the identity card of both sponsors and their spouse;
6. A photocopy of the domestic worker's passport together with 8 passport-size photos;
7. Photocopy of the domestic worker's employment contract.

A business visa to Kuwait is granted to foreigners who wish to visit the country to participate in business meetings or to invest in a business. To obtain a Kuwait business visa, the applicant must have a sponsor. In such cases, the hotel where travelers plan to stay may sponsor their visa.

To obtain a business visa, the applicant must provide:

• A completed Kuwait visa application form and a security form completed by the sponsor;
• A copy of the visitor's passport;
• A copy of the sponsor's signature as registered for commercial purposes;
• Copy of the request letter