The Ministry of Interior on June 6, 2026 launched a new digital service via the Sahel app for domestic worker and driver visa issuance. Coordinated with the Public Authority for Manpower and the ministry’s IT sector, the initiative enables electronic completion of applications without visits to service centers.
In a statement, the Ministry of Interior described the service as a step toward simplifying procedures related to domestic labor recruitment and residency. Users can now submit requests for visa issuance, renewals and associated management tasks directly through the application. This approach is expected to lessen the administrative load on both individuals and government offices. The coordination with the Public Authority for Manpower ensures that labor regulations are properly integrated into the digital system.
The ministry provided detailed eligibility criteria under the new rules for sponsoring domestic workers and drivers. Single women are entitled to sponsor one domestic worker only. Married, divorced or widowed women with children can sponsor one domestic worker and one driver. Married, divorced or widowed men with families are allowed up to three domestic workers and one driver. Single men are permitted to sponsor only one driver.
The Sahel app serves as Kuwait’s unified platform for government e-services, according to its official description. It allows users to view personal data, apply for various services and receive notifications from multiple agencies in one place. The new domestic labor module adds to previous features that have included options for domestic workers to obtain or renew driving licenses online. This expansion continues the ministry’s drive to offer more services digitally.
Kuwait has maintained a large population of domestic workers for many years. A report from the Kuwait Society for Human Rights noted that their number reached about 669,000 by the end of 2017, comprising 27 percent of migrant workers in the private sector. Most of these workers come from Asian and African countries, with the Philippines, India and Ethiopia among the top nationalities supplying labor. The Public Authority for Manpower oversees recruitment offices and related regulations for this workforce.
According to the ministry, the updated system seeks to bring greater clarity to the categories of domestic labor sponsorship. It also promotes equitable distribution of sponsorship rights across varying family circumstances. The digital format supports the country’s goals for improved governance through technology adoption.
Similar digital advancements have been introduced in the past few years to modernize interaction with government bodies. The inclusion of visa services for domestic staff and drivers aligns with the objective of reducing reliance on traditional paper-based or counter-based processes. Authorities continue integrating additional manpower functions into the Sahel ecosystem.
