If you plan to transfer your visa to another sponsor, you would probably benefit from reading this post, as the rules and procedure for obtaining a release are explained here.
Laws for Private Sector
The Labour Law in Kuwait states that if you are working in a private sector, then the following rules may be applicable:
If you are in Kuwait on a company-sponsored visa, then you should work for the company for at least three years, provided, they allow you to leave the company prior to completion of three years of the agreement on their wish.
If your company has locally hired you in Kuwait, then you can obtain a release prior to completion of one-year of service agreement signed under the Kuwait Labour Law.
If you are under 100 days of the probation period, you can leave anytime.
There are two types of contract that you sign before starting a job. One is a specified contract, which as per the Article 44 of Kuwait Labour Law, states that you should inform at least three months prior to leaving a company. The other non-specified contract stipulates that you cannot leave prior to completion of the period of the contract.
Procedure for obtaining the release
The Article 18 of Kuwait Labour Law states that in the civil sector, a worker can transfer his/her residence to another sponsor. The procedure for obtaining the release are as below:
Get the Kafala (transfer paper) from your new company, and attach all necessary documents including passport copy, residency cop, civil ID copy, work permit, authorized signatory etc., and submit it to your old company.
Once the relieving papers are obtained, attach two passport size photographs, health insurance certificate, and when all documents are ready, submit it to the new company.
Laws for Government Project visa
The Kuwait Labour Law states that if you are working in a private sector, but with a government project visa, then the following rules may be applicable for visa transfer:
If you are in Kuwait on a government project visa by the company, then you are not allowed to transfer your residence until the completion of the project.
However, you can seek transfer of visa from the government project of same sponsor to another government project of a different sponsor.
At present, the charges of transferring visa from one government project to another one is KD200 (if with the same sponsor) and KD300 (for different sponsor on another project).
Procedure for obtaining the release in the government project:
The procedure for obtaining release in the government project is more or less the
same.
Get the Kafala (transfer paper) from your new company, and attach all necessary documents including passport copy, residency cop, civil ID copy, work permit, authorized signatory etc., and submit it to your old company.
Make a deposit of KD200 for renewal of residency if on the same project, or a deposit of KD300 for transfer of residency to another government project.
Once the relieving papers are obtained, attach two passport size photographs, health insurance certificate, and when all documents are ready, submit it to the new company.