Kuwait flags 8,849 employers for not paying salaries on time under its wage-protection system

Kuwait's Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has flagged 8,849 employer files for breaking salary payment rules, ARY News reported on 26 October 2026. The figure comes from PAM's wage-protection tracking, which we reported Kuwait had switched on for private companies earlier this month.

The numbers

That means roughly 18% of the larger employers on PAM's books were found paying late, short or not at all. ARY did not give the number of workers affected.

What an employer may deduct

Under Kuwait's labour rules as reported, an employer can cut wages only in 13 specific situations, including unapproved absence, refusal to work, disciplinary suspension and certain unpaid or sick leave. The employer must keep documented proof that each deduction is lawful, and deductions are capped at 25% of the monthly wage.

What it means for Pakistani workers

Kuwait is one of the Gulf countries where many Pakistanis work, and late salaries hit families at home who depend on the monthly transfer. If you work there:

1. Keep your contract, pay slips and bank statements: these are what PAM's system checks.
2. Any cut above 25% of your monthly pay, or a deduction without a written reason, is outside the rules as reported.
3. Raise unpaid wages with PAM or Pakistan's embassy community welfare section rather than paying an agent to "fix" it.

To see what your Kuwaiti dinar salary is worth at home, use our currency converter. If you are being offered a new job in the Gulf, check the offer first: our guide on how to check a job's PTN on the BEOE portal shows how.