​The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) in Kuwait has officially issued Administrative Decision No. 680 of 2026, amending provisions regarding labor transfers between employers.

The new regulation, published in the official gazette "Kuwait Al-Youm," permits processing labor complaints to transfer work permits to another employer before completing a full continuous year.

The authority specified five exceptional cases where a worker can request a transfer, most notably if completing residency procedures fails due to the employer's negligence.

Exemptions also apply if there is an administrative suspension or restriction placed on the employer’s file that blocks the finalization of the worker's legal status.

The decision safeguards workers if it is proven that a malicious absconding report was filed against them, or if such reports were used falsely to inflict harm.

Furthermore, transfers are permitted if the employer violates any of the legal commitments and obligations stated under Article (48) of the Kuwaiti Labor Law.

Immediate transfers are also granted upon meeting either of the two conditions stipulated in Article (50) of the Labor Law, maintaining labor market flexibility.

The decree defined a "negligent employer" as anyone who recruits a worker, or receives a transferred worker under a year, then fails or delays residency completions.

The amendment grants PAM full jurisdiction to enforce strict administrative penalties against non-compliant employers to deter violations and rectify legal statuses.

Administrative measures against violating entities include freezing or restricting the issuance of new work visas, or temporarily suspending overseas recruitment.

These penalties imposed on the negligent establishment will remain active until all causes of the violation are fully resolved and affected laborers are compensated.

This structural step comes to reinforce the local business environment, uphold human rights principles, and guarantee complete legal protection for expatriate workers in Kuwait.