KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Manpower on Thursday began issuing the part-time work permits allowing expatriate manpower to do part-time jobs officially on a wide-scale basis for the first time in the country, the Authority said on its X account.

The Authority said that the issuance of the part-time work permit will be done through its Sahel app platform, a web-based online site for the Manpower Authority.

Based on the new program, expats living and working legally in the country are allowed to do part-time jobs provided they obtain the approval of their official sponsors. It said that part-time jobs must not exceed four hours daily except for construction laborers who can work more.

The Authority said the main objectives of the program are“to develop the labor market, benefit businessmen and utilize the foreign labor force present in the country, thus contributing to addressing the demographic imbalances”.

Foreigners currently make up more than two-thirds of Kuwait’s 4.5 million population and the government wants to reduce the number of expats to create a state of balance with native Kuwaitis. The government has set up a ministerial committee to take and implement measures to achieve the demographic balance objective.

The Authority said that expats must pay fees to issue the work permits. They are required to pay KD 5 per month or KD 10 for three months, KD 20 for six months and KD 30 for one year. Kuwaiti manpower can do part-time jobs without any preconditions or fees, the Authority said. The move is expected to cut dramatically the number of foreign manpower recruited from outside the country to do simple and small businesses.