Deputy chairman of the Manpower Authority for expat labor affairs Hassan Al-Khadher said 99,508 work permits have been issued since the start of the year, adding 38,442 work permits were permanently cancelled. He said his department has cancelled tens of thousands of invalid work permits after making sure about the data with the interior ministry. He said the action taken is based on the rules of issuing work permits that allow automatic cancellation if six months elapse while the worker is outside Kuwait.