Changes to migrant rules in Kuwait force Indian workers to return home

HYDERABAD: Changes in migrant rules in Kuwait have forced a section of Indian workers to return to their homes. As per new guidelines, the non-graduate migrants who completed 60 years of age cannot remain in Kuwait. They must return to their native places.

Around 1.75 lakh people from Telangana state have been working in oil companies, construction companies, malls and other organisations in Kuwait. Of these, around 30,000 persons may return from Kuwait on this basis.

The foreign ministry of Kuwait had decided to repatriate these people from December 2020. There was mixed opinion on the decision and a fear was aired that Kuwait will lose its professional workforce. Hence, the authorities gave exemptions in the migrant rules.

Earlier, the authorities had said migrants who attained the 60 years of age could renew their visas in Kuwait itself if they paid 250 dinars (`60,000). This came as a relief to the migrant workers. Now, the changed migrant rules forced them to leave Kuwait. Migrant workers will reach India from March onwards.