Kuwait’s Exit Permit Requirement Puts Migrant Workers at Risk

Writer: Michael Page

Kuwaiti authorities recently announced that starting July 2025, migrant workers will require permission to leave the country. They will have to submit a departure request form to their employer through the Ministry of Interior’s “Ashal” online portal or “Sahel” smartphone application and include the dates for departure and return.

This decision is an alarming step backward in Kuwait’s migrant worker governance. Instead of dismantling the kafala (visa sponsorship system) in its entirety, the Kuwaiti state is reinforcing it by putting migrant workers even further under the control of their employers and making them more vulnerable to exploitation.

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