The US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report kept Kuwait on Tier 2 for a second consecutive year after the country advanced from the Tier 2 Watch List in the previous assessment. The department determined that Kuwait does not fully meet minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking but recorded overall increasing efforts during the period covering April 2025 through March 2026. Officials investigated a higher number of cases and referred more victims to services even as structural issues persisted in the sponsorship framework.
According to the report, authorities examined 11 potential trafficking cases and prosecuted 64 suspects on forced labor charges while securing two convictions linked to the forced labor and murder of a domestic worker. The department noted that penalties under relevant laws proved sufficiently stringent and aligned with those for grave crimes such as rape. Kuwaiti prosecutors also created a specialized unit to handle trafficking and migrant smuggling matters while unifying investigation procedures and building a dedicated database.
Victim protection efforts produced mixed results as the government identified and referred 99 foreign male victims of forced labor for care in 2025 compared with 71 identified and none referred the year before. It continued operating a shelter for male migrant workers that supplies healthcare, legal aid and additional support while increasing direct funding for victim services to 218,000 Kuwaiti dinars from 191,000 dinars previously. Some potential victims still departed without recovered wages during extended labor disputes, limiting full access to remedies.
Prevention activities stayed level through the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, which convened six times and endorsed a national action plan for 2025-2028. The report highlighted awareness campaigns directed at foreign workers alongside steps to improve bank account access for low-wage employees. Kuwait had occupied the Tier 2 Watch List for three straight years before its upgrade in the 2025 edition, according to the department’s historical review.
The assessment pointed to several areas where progress lagged, including the absence of reforms to the employer-based visa system that leaves migrant workers exposed to exploitation. Law enforcement frequently did not treat contractual violations as possible trafficking signals, which reduced accountability and deterrence. Recruitment agencies also faced no accountability for deceptive practices, and enforcement of the domestic worker law remained inadequate.
Kuwaiti officials described the retained ranking as recognition of legislative steps taken in late 2024 that imposed stricter penalties for residence permit trading and criminalized wage withholding by employers. The Public Prosecution reported a rise in investigated cases from three the prior period to 11 while emphasizing unified procedures and technical guidance for law enforcement personnel. The Ministry of Justice, which chairs the national committee, indicated that ongoing implementation of the action plan would address remaining observations from the US evaluation.
The US report ranks more than 180 countries according to compliance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act standards, placing Tier 2 nations between full compliance and those requiring significant improvement to avoid potential sanctions. It recommended that Kuwait strengthen screening to distinguish trafficking from simple labor issues and pursue more convictions to enhance deterrence. Authorities have signaled commitment to further alignment with international benchmarks through sustained interagency coordination.
