Kuwait City, Feb. 21 -- Kuwait is moving to introduce a regulated freelance visa for expat workers as part of efforts to reform its labour market and curb the long-standing trade in residency permits.

The proposal was announced by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef during a recent meeting with private sector representatives. The system would allow expats to work independently without a traditional sponsor under a structured and legally supervised framework.

Al-Yousef said the plan is aimed at addressing persistent concerns related to unregulated labour, residency brokerage and inflated daily wages in certain low-skilled sectors. In some cases, workers providing basic services have reportedly earne...