Kuwait Cracks Down on Mismatched Expat Professions With New PAM Rules
The Public Authority for Manpower announced on June 22, 2026, that Ministerial Circular No. 1/2026 took effect on June 2 to strengthen alignment between expatriate workers’ academic qualifications, professional classifications and the duties they perform in Kuwait workplaces. The circular, issued by First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and PAM Chairman Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, establishes a flexible regulatory framework designed to meet evolving labor market needs while improving oversight, according to the authority. PAM stated the measure will enhance efficiency, transparency and procedural effectiveness by ensuring credentials match actual roles.
PAM said the circular permits amendments to an expatriate’s registered educational qualification or profession when these elements prove compatible with the actual nature of the work. Such changes must adhere to approved procedures and regulations to maintain data accuracy across the labor system. The authority indicated that the update supports broader development of the labor market and prevents mismatches that have undermined workforce planning in the past.
A Paul Hastings legal briefing published in February 2026 noted that Ministerial Circular No. 1 of 2025 had suspended requests to amend job titles or academic qualifications for expatriates, particularly those recruited from abroad or transferring from other sectors. That earlier restriction aimed to curb misuse of work permits and enforce initial qualification alignment with assigned roles. The 2026 circular introduces conditional flexibility where compatibility can be demonstrated, reflecting an adjustment in PAM’s regulatory strategy.
PAM announced that preparation of the Unified Kuwaiti Guide for Occupational Description and Classification remains underway. The guide will standardize job titles and classifications to better match labor market demands and anticipated future requirements. According to the authority, this tool will improve the overall work environment and support more precise regulation of qualifications and professions.
Public Authority for Civil Information statistics place Kuwait’s expatriate population at approximately 3.3 million, comprising more than two-thirds of the country’s total residents, a Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population programme report from 2019 showed. The private sector relies heavily on this workforce, with foreign professionals filling a wide range of technical and specialized positions. PAM’s intensified oversight seeks to address longstanding discrepancies between documented credentials and performed duties that have affected labor market data and efficiency.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef issued the circular as part of PAM’s continued push to develop the labor market, the authority’s announcement stated. The move builds on previous reforms that included skills testing, competency standards and efforts to align supply with demand. An International Labour Organization decent work country programme document for Kuwait highlighted the importance of enhanced skills anticipation frameworks and certification systems managed by PAM to improve workforce outcomes.
World Bank analysis of Kuwait’s jobs strategy has pointed to structural challenges, including the private sector’s dependence on low-cost foreign labor alongside rising expectations among young Kuwaitis for public sector roles. The latest circular forms one element in a series of measures intended to bring greater precision to occupational classifications and recruitment practices. PAM sources indicated the changes will contribute to more accurate workforce planning over the medium term.
