Kuwait Work Visa 2025: All You Need To Know

Are you a foreigner seeking employment in Kuwait? With Kuwait’s tax-free income, competitive salaries, and opportunities in various sectors such as healthcare, engineering, and IT, considering it as the right spot for your career is a no-brainer. However, to work and live in Kuwait as a foreigner, one will need to first secure a work visa. 

Kuwait Work Visa 

A Kuwait work visa is a government-approved document that allows foreign nationals to legally live and work in Kuwait. Also known as Iqama, Kuwait visas typically require a valid job offer from a Kuwaiti employer, as the employing organization or individual typically sponsors and initiates the visa process on behalf of the employee. In turn, the prospective employee is assigned the responsibility of exclusively working for that company until the expiry of their work visa. 

Kuwait Work Visa Types

Kuwait work visas are divided into types depending on the kind of employment in question. They are:

• Private Sector Work Visa (Article 18): Also known as Visa 18, this Kuwait work visa allows expatriates to legally work in the Kuwait private sector. In this case, the employer or company is a registered private entity with no affiliations with the government and facilitates employment of foreign nationals under the guidelines of Article 18 of the Ministry of Labour laws. 

• Government Sector Work Visa (Article 17): This work visa is issued to foreign nationals who secure employment with the Kuwaiti government ministries, departments, or other public sector entities. 

• Government Project Visa (Article 17): Although also under Article 17 (government employment), there is the project visa often specified for individuals recruited to work on specific projects initiated and run by the government. These projects can be in various sectors like infrastructure or development.

• Domestic Work Visa: Also known as Visa 20, the Domestic Work Visa in Kuwait enables foreign nationals to work as domestic helpers in Kuwaiti households. The sponsors of this visa are individuals or families rather than companies and offer employment for domestic roles such as housemaids, drivers for families, caregivers, etc. 

Eligibility Criteria for Kuwait Work Visas

As a foreigner aiming to secure a Kuwait work visa or as an employer hiring talents beyond the shores of Kuwait, you must take into account the following criteria: 

• Employment Offer: An employment offer from an employing entity in Kuwait is necessary for obtaining a Kuwait work visa. This criterion tends to set a legal framework for the employee upon entry into the country via the terms of the work contract and permit. 

• Clean Criminal Record: The prospective employee must bear no criminal history from their home country or area of last residence. 

• Medical Fitness: The prospective employee must pass the required medical tests to prove that they are free from certain contagious diseases such as HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, malaria, and filaria and are in fit condition.

• Educational Qualifications: In applicable areas, foreign expatriates willing to work in Kuwait must meet certain educational or skill thresholds to prove their work capabilities in certain prospective roles. 

• Proof of Job Necessity: Employers seeking to sponsor foreign workers are first expected to demonstrate that the specific job role could not be adequately filled by a Kuwaiti national. This criterion aligns with Kuwait’s policy, which prioritizes the employment of Kuwaiti citizens. 

Documents Required for a Kuwait Work Visa

The documents typically required for a Kuwait work visa for both employers and foreign employees are as follows:

Kuwait Visa Application Process

Applying for a Kuwait work visa is a process that requires the cooperation of the employer and the potential worker from another country. The work visa application begins and ends with the following steps:

• The first official step is the offer of employment by the employer to the foreign talent. Once the foreign talent accepts the employment offer, then the employer can proceed with the next step.
• The employer or sponsor applies for a work permit from the Kuwait Ministry of Interior on behalf of the foreign talent. 
• In the process of applying for the work permit, the employer is required to provide the necessary documents for validating the application. 
• On the other hand, the foreign talent undergoes a medical examination and a police clearance as required by the Kuwait authorities to obtain a medical and security certificate. 
• Once the work permit process is approved by the Kuwait Public Authority of Manpower, the foreign talent visits the Kuwait embassy or consulate in their home country to obtain a visa stamp.
• Upon the Kuwait visa being granted, the sponsoring employer will manage the foreign employee’s entry into Kuwait by arranging and covering the travel expenses.
• Once the employee arrives in Kuwait, they will need to finalize their residency by completing procedures such as fingerprinting and registering for their Civil ID with the assistance of the sponsor/employer.

Kuwait Work Visa Check by Passport Number

Here’s how to check your Kuwait visa with your passport number: ^[1]

• Visit the e-Visa Status webpage “from here”.
• Enter the following details accordingly:
  • eVisa Reference Number
  • Passport Number

• Click the “Ok” Button.
• View your e-Visa status according to your passport number.

Kuwait Work Visa Fees

The table below highlights the Kuwait work visa application fees:

Conclusion

The Kuwait work visa comes in different types to facilitate different kinds of employment in the country. To apply for one, the foreign candidate must have a job offer from an employer who is ready to initiate and sponsor the visa application process.