Kuwait warns private firms over salary delays, tightens wage monitoring

Authorities in Kuwait have intensified monitoring of private sector salary payments, warning companies that delays in paying expatriate workers could lead to strict legal action, including temporary suspension of company files.

Sources at the Public Authority for Manpower said the Labour Affairs Sector is conducting monthly reviews of salary transfers and bank deposits for expatriate workers to ensure wages are paid on time and in full.

Officials stressed that delayed or irregular salary payments would not be tolerated. “Workers’ wages are a red line,” the sources said, citing directives from First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef and ongoing supervision by PAM Director General Rabab Al-Osaimi.

The move comes as part of broader efforts to protect workers’ rights and strengthen compliance among private sector employers. Authorities said enforcement efforts continue despite regional geopolitical tensions, adding that the protection of workers’ legal rights remains a top priority.

Under Article 57 of Kuwait’s Private Sector Labour Law (Law 6/2010), employers with five or more workers are required to transfer wages directly into employees’ bank accounts and provide proof of payment to the Authority.

The Authority warned that companies failing to comply with wage payment regulations could face temporary suspension as a precautionary measure. The suspension will be lifted automatically once companies meet salary payment requirements.

Officials said the stricter monitoring system is part of Kuwait’s wider efforts to improve labour compliance, protect expatriate workers, and reinforce the country’s international reputation in labour standards and human rights protection.