How many workers actually know a lot about their sponsors? .I mean, how many are well-versed with all the information related to what they do for a living and how they can be reached during emergencies? It is common to find Asians, Arabs and a few unlucky Westerners who are uninformed about their sponsors’ whereabouts! They only care about renewing their residence permits. They carry on with their activities in Kuwait and find their own ways of living, without even bothering to learn who can imprison them for any reason. This situation could have arisen because they are not viewed as individuals, but as powerless followers that cannot process any work done without the sponsor. They cannot even start their own business without one.

This summarizes the situation faced by an expat in Kuwait. He or she is under the mercy of the sponsor. Although some new regulations have been passed in recent years to limit the power enjoyed by sponsors over workers, the sponsorship system is still strong and available for sale here. Who is your sponsor? A simple question that has a tough answer. There are many Asians and Arabs who buy visas. Just like anything that is sold in the black market, its prices can fluctuate. In terms of law, a foreign person should have a sponsor to represent him or her in front of the country’s authorities. Sadly, that should not be aspect that concerns them most!

How is a visa bought? I know this is weird but when someone plans to immigrate, they must be in possession of a work contract. Otherwise, they are considered to be illegal residents or immigrants. No matter what qualifications they possess, they are asked to leave. Kuwait is wonderland in that sense. Some people find it hard to get a job easily or want to stay in the country for a longer period with families by supporting themselves doing odd jobs. For that, they need legal residence permit. A civil ID is needed or they can be easily caught by police. They begin hunting down for any Kuwaiti who accepts quick cash and is ready to present himself as the sponsor. This citizen is not concerned with how they lead their lives or earn a living. The Kuwaiti sponsor will simply lend his name on the official papers. In case trouble erupts, workers will seek sponsor’s assistance to be freed from prison.

How much does it cost? Those who ask for KD 400 are not very greedy! Some are asking for KD 700 and more. They could even be crooks. There is no guarantee that whoever takes money will get the residence permit stamped. Payment is to be made in advance, KD 250 is to be paid first, followed by the rest of the amount. These activities do not fall under the purvey of the law. This is because the law cannot question if someone lied or not until the worker under sponsorship commits a crime. I think it is unethical to blackmail an expat simply because they ‘ bought’ the residence permit. They will have to work the whole year to collect enough money to pay back the ‘cost involved.’

I have seen cases like this for almost ten years or more, especially among Asians who want to stay in Kuwait and find their own ways of living, legal or not. So, their goal is to find a ‘buyer.’ Just like the way any market functions, this ‘merchandise’ finds its way into the hands of many. There are agencies that have a mandoub (company representative) to take follow up action.
I believe that we need to enforce the law.

So, whenever such cases are caught, a hefty fine should be levied on the sponsor. Most of these expatriates who resort to such methods are may be uneducated or criminals. Incarceration could possibly teach them a lesson. I think corruption is very high. Those men and woman who betray the country, are callous about the safety of expatriates too. Laws were made to regulate people’s lives and it is important to update laws that are work related. Yes, only stringent laws can ensure every one’s welfare.

muna@kuwaittimes .net