Authorities in Kuwait dismantle a network involved in the illicit sale of worker recruitment permits

In a significant development, the General Department of Residence Affairs Investigations in Kuwait has dismantled a criminal network involved in selling company licenses for worker recruitment. The network, which operated covertly, has been under investigation for bribery, forgery, and profiting from illegal residency.

Case No. 45/2025 (Residency Investigations Felonies) has been filed, detailing the activities of the network. At the heart of the scheme were several individuals, including M.A., the owner and manager of multiple companies, who recruited workers for his businesses and paid bribes to public sector employees.

M.A. was not alone in his actions. T.D., a Kuwaiti citizen who worked as a supervisor in the Needs Assessment Department in the Capital Governorate, inflated need estimates in exchange for bribes. He even shared his system password to mislead authorities.

The network also included M., an Egyptian/Palestinian intermediary, who transferred bribe payments and data between companies and public sector employees, earning commissions. Y.L. and N.A., of Egyptian nationality, acted as company managers and representatives, facilitating worker recruitment and residency permits in exchange for money.

A.R., the acting director of the Hawalli Labor Department, used T.D.'s password to complete illicit transactions for a financial commission. All six individuals, including the unnamed individual serving as director of the employment office in Hawalli, have been handed over to the relevant authorities.

The cost for a work permit in this scheme ranged from 800 to 1,000 dinars, with additional bribes of 200 to 250 dinars paid to Public Authority for Manpower employees. Bribes were also paid to alter need assessments and update records in the system.

The investigation has uncovered a total of 388 workers being recruited through abused company licenses. The criminal network abused 28 company licenses in this process. The ministry has identified M.A. as the mastermind behind the operation, and the investigations continue to crack down on similar networks.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the corrupt practices that can occur in the recruitment process and the importance of upholding integrity and transparency in all operations. The authorities are committed to ensuring that such activities are exposed and those involved are brought to justice.

Authorities in Kuwait dismantle a network involved in the illicit sale of worker recruitment permits