Kuwait visa ban no more

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Kuwait's landmark decision to lift its 19-year visa ban on Pakistani citizens could make a huge impact on the lives of Pakistani workers seeking employment abroad. The policy change reinstates access to work, family, tourist and commercial visas for Pakistanis, ending a restrictive policy that had been in place since 2011 due to security concerns. Citizens of Iran, Syria and Afghanistan were also included in the 2011 ban.

Relaxation of the restriction shows that the Kuwaitis are prioritising mutual growth, opening the doors for skilled Pakistani workers such as nurses, who make up the majority of the first batch of visa recipients. Indeed, Kuwait has historically benefited from the labour of hundreds of Pakistani health professionals, apart from thousands of people who have worked in all imaginable fields in the tiny oil-rich state.

Kuwait's adoption of an online visa platform also underscores its commitment to modernisation, efficiency and transparency, enabling most applicants to secure visas in under 24 hours. The visa restoration for Pakistanis may also reflect closer diplomatic ties, since years of negotiations between the two nations have led to a new memorandum of understanding to streamline worker mobility and safeguard rights.

At the same time, it is worth noting that Kuwait has been lagging behind other Gulf countries in terms of non-oil economic activity, so much so that even local media, which generally shows restraint while criticising the government, has been lambasting economic policymakers for years.

Much of the criticism has focused on foreign worker policies that have failed to keep up with the times, such as laws dealing with freelancers, education requirements for several visa categories, and property rights, and how places like the UAE have benefited from forward-thinking policies in these areas.

If Kuwait reforms its own rules, it could become a desirable 'home away from home' for thousands of Pakistani entrepreneurs and freelancers.