The Scoop
Some expats in Kuwait are finding themselves trapped as they try to leave the country that has been under constant attack by Iran since Feb. 28, under a law introduced less than two years ago requiring foreigners to obtain exit permits from their employers.
The policy has affected teachers, who have been denied permission to leave, according to messages viewed by Semafor.
Without an exit permit, people can’t cross into Saudi Arabia — a route many are using to reach airports in Dammam or Riyadh — and there are no flights from Kuwait because its airspace is closed.
The Kuwaiti immigration authority is urging employers to supply exit permits, according to one person helping to coordinate expat departures. The Kuwaiti consulate in the US did not respond to a request for comment.
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One American who has lived in Kuwait for more than a decade described the permission-to-leave policy as “a hostage system.” She spoke to Semafor on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the government.
In July, Kuwait’s Public Authority of Manpower introduced a rule requiring foreign nationals to apply for an exit permit, even for a brief vacation. The process isn’t cumbersome and can be done by app or online, but it’s still at the employer’s discretion.
Human rights groups warned at the time that the policy brought Kuwait closer to the kafala, or sponsorship system, that binds a migrant worker’s residency to their employer, which is still in use across the region. Once widespread across the Middle East, the system has been reformed to be less onerous in places like Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE in recent years. Critics say it gives employers outsize power “over workers’ visas, job changes, and travel, creating high risks of exploitation and abuse,” according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Kuwaiti government said the new policy sought to regulate the departure of expat workers, “protect the rights of employees and employers, and reduce violations associated with leaving the country without prior notice,” according to a circular cited by auditor EY.
The moves are part of a broader clampdown on immigration that has seen authorities strip at least 50,000 people of their nationality over the past two years.
Kuwait’s emir dissolved parliament in May 2024 and embarked on a regulatory overhaul and citizenship crackdown. The wealthy nation, heavily dependent on oil revenue, has been dogged by deficits over the past decade, with 80% of the state budget spent on subsidies and salaries.
Kelsey’s view
Kuwait offers the most dramatic example of the tensions facing expat workers and their employers in Gulf countries as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues. Many who decide to evacuate are simply following their embassies’ advice. This is in contrast to assurances from local officials that people are safe and life can carry on as normal — albeit with occasional missile alerts and widespread school closures.
For now, workers who wish to leave the region can request time off or, if their employer is flexible, take advantage of remote work. But if the war drags on, their positions may vanish, or be offered to those willing to stay put.
Notable
- Several large banks advised staff to stay away from their Dubai offices after Iran warned it could target financial centers in the region with US ties, The New York Times reported.