To work in Kuwait requires a residence visa, but first, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor must issue a No Objection Certificate or NOC after a Kuwaiti employer has submitted sponsorship documents. An expat usually arrives on a visitor visa and obtains the NOC in Kuwait through sponsorship. Once the NOC has been secured, the sponsor can apply for a residence visa for the sponsored individual who will need to return temporarily to his home country until the visa is approved. A medical exam, including an HIV/AIDS test, is a requirement for all visa applicants.
Kuwait has massive oil deposits, and periodically opens job opportunities for expats in the oil industry. Other major enterprises in the country include construction, petroleum, food processing, cement, textiles, petrochemicals, salt and desalination. Although men have always dominated the Kuwaiti job market, women are beginning to be recognized as skilled hard workers, most of them in the fields of medicine, law, advertising, education and hospitality. In fact, a considerable percentage of Kuwaiti expats is now composed of women, mostly nurses and English teachers.
It is not uncommon for expats in the varied industries to report a high level of financial satisfaction from working in Kuwait. This is because there is no personal taxation system in the country. Hence, net income is usually higher and makes for one of the region's most powerful attractions.
Moreover, indemnity is usually offered upon expiration of the employment contract and is based on basic salary. Indemnity is usually computed by multiplying 15-20 days worth of basic pay by three (for the first three years of employment) plus a month's worth of salary multiplied by the total number of years served at the same company.
A typical workweek in Kuwait is from 40 to 48 hours, and differences will depend on individual company policies. Offices usually open at 8:30am and close at 5:30pm. The same schedule holds regardless of season but during Ramadan, working time is reduced.
Managerial and technological positions are expected to continue being in high demand for at least four more decades, although Kuwait is not necessarily a place where expats are allowed to stay indefinitely. Foreigners can never become Kuwaiti citizens, nor own their own land and property.
As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwait undoubtedly enjoys a wealth of resources, from natural to technical. And for expats who seek a temporary home in Kuwait, the prospects look good.
More Expat Resources
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