The Kuwait Society for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has requested the Public Authority for Manpower to exempt SMEs from Decree No. 1280 of 2017, which forbids the issuance of work permits for qualified expatriates who are below the age of 30, reports Al-Qabas daily.

According to report, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Society, Sheikh Hamoud Al-Shamlan Al-Sabah, said the Society has received several complaints from the SMEs objecting the decision because of the bad impact it has on SMEs entrepreneurs.

The decision which allows recruiting expatriates who have reached the age of 30 and above, contradicts with the obvious fact in the world of SMEs, which resort to 90 percent to newly graduated labor to lessen the financial cost and to benefit from their ability, he said.

This is in addition to the cost of hiring those above the age of 30 than the newly graduated labor which is about 3 to 4 times more and which the SMEs can ill afford, he added.