Kuwait: The Public Authority for Manpower yesterday issued a decision banning the transfer of government workers to the private sector and placed restrictions on the transfer of dependent visas to work visas in the private sector. Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower Ahmad Al-Moussa said the decisions are based on the instructions of Social Affairs Minister and State Minister for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel.

Moussa said transferring employees from the private sector to the government should comply with procedures followed by the manpower authority and the Civil Service Commission. The decision to ban transfers of government workers to the private sector exempts Kuwaiti women’s husbands and children, wives of Kuwaitis, Palestinians with travel documents and those in specialized technical professions in the health field who are transferring to licensed facilities to provide medical services, such as doctors, nurses and others in the medical field.

Moussa said only certain categories of expats are allowed to transfer dependent visas to work in the private sector, including husbands and children of Kuwaiti women, those born in Kuwait, Palestinians with travel documents and those having at least a diploma after the secondary stage from Kuwaiti educational establishments.