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Getting a job in Kuwait

Lina Haddad, 27. Secondary English Teacher in Salmiya.

Lina joined a bilingual private school in Salmiya. Teaching contracts in Kuwait often include housing and a yearly flight, which made a modest salary go much further.

From
Beirut, Lebanon
Industry
Education
per month
KWD 850 ≈ $2.8K
Timeline
10–14 weeks
Visa route
Work visa (Article 18) via PAM permit
Lina Haddad at work
“Read the housing clause twice. Ours covered rent but not furniture or the deposit.”

Step by step

  • You
  • Employer
  • Government
  1. 1

    Spring recruitment

    4–8 weeksYou

    Interviewed at a school recruitment fair in February for an August start. Most Kuwaiti private schools hire for the September academic year.

  2. 2

    Attest degree and teaching licence

    2–4 weeksYou

    Lebanese Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs, then the Kuwaiti embassy in Beirut. Teachers also need degree equivalency from Kuwait’s Ministry of Higher Education.

    Cost: about USD 200

  3. 3

    PAM work permit and entry visa

    2–4 weeksEmployer

    The school applied to the Public Authority for Manpower for her work permit, then for the entry visa through the Ministry of Interior.

  4. 4

    Arrival medical and fingerprints

    1–2 weeksGovernment

    Medical examination and fingerprinting at the designated centres after arrival. The school arranged transport and appointments.

  5. 5

    Residence and Civil ID

    2–4 weeksGovernment

    Residence stamped and a Civil ID issued by PACI. The Sahel app now holds a digital copy accepted almost everywhere.

  6. 6

    Bank, phone and apartment

    1–2 weeksYou

    Moved from school-arranged temporary housing into a one-bedroom in Salmiya, walking distance to the Gulf Road.

Employment journeys

All journeys
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Priya Nair, Senior Software Engineer

Priya moved from a product company in Bengaluru to a Dubai fintech. Her employer sponsored the work permit and residence visa; she handled degree attestation, housing and banking herself.

per month
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Timeline
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Ahmed Hassan, Civil Engineering Project Manager

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Ahmed Hassan, Civil Engineering Project Manager

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per month
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Timeline
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Maria Santos, Registered Nurse (ICU)

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Maria Santos, Registered Nurse (ICU)

Maria was recruited by a Doha hospital through a licensed agency. Healthcare is the longest route on this site because licensing has to finish before the visa can start.

per month
QAR 11K
Timeline
16–24 weeks