UNI

Dubai, Mar 26: Kuwait has further relaxed labour rules in order to attract more Indian and expatriate workers as its economy expands on the back of windfall oil exports.

The transfer of labour work permit from one employer to another has been allowed although several conditions remain to be fulfilled, a top official said.

The Alam Al-Youm Arab daily quoted a Labour Ministry official stating that such a transfer is permissible only if the worker/employee is currently living in the country and if he/she has completed one full year with the current employer. For such a transfer, the worker should also attain approval from the current employer.

He said the government is keen to restructure the labour market and wants to exempt skilled and qualified workers from the condition of one full year with an employer before sponsorship transfer.

'' We exempt people holding university degrees from that condition,'' he added.

On the transfer of employees who come to Kuwait on registered government contracts, the official said those holding university degrees are eligible for the transfer but only after finishing the contract period and after getting approval from both the present and new employers.

Employees who do not hold university degrees but have come on a government contract have to spend five years with the employer and will have to obtain approval certificates from both the present and new sponsors he added.