The Public Authority for Manpower has issued a new circular aimed at intensifying inspections of food handling workers to ensure the highest levels of health, safety, and professional compliance across the market.

In its statement, the Authority clarified that Administrative Circular No. 11 of 2025 requires inspection teams to carry out a comprehensive audit of all workers involved in food handling activities. This procedure is based on Article (32) of the Regulation for Granting Work Permission and the official accreditation of the Gulf Guide for Occupational Classification and Description (8-ISCO).

According to the Authority, this circular comes as part of joint coordination with the General Authority for Food and Nutrition, with the goal of unifying procedures and strengthening oversight in this vital sector. It aims to ensure that all workers meet the professional and health standards required for food-related jobs—especially the validity of their health licenses, which remain a fundamental condition for practicing these professions.

Professions Covered Under the Inspection

The inspection scope includes all food handling professions listed in the updated Gulf Guide (October 2025), covering more than 350 professions across different fields, including:

1. Cooking & Food Preparation

• Chefs, meal preparers
• Food processing machine operators (bakers)
• Makers of dairy and meat products

2. Food Sales & Trading

• Sellers of vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, dairy products
• Juice, sweets, and beverage sellers

3. Agriculture & Animal Production

• Livestock, poultry, and fish breeders
• Food farming workers

4. Food Manufacturing

• Operators of pasteurization, drying, canning, grinding, freezing, fermentation, juice and sweets production machines

5. Quality & Supervision

• Nutritionists, quality control inspectors
• Restaurant and food factory supervisors and technicians

6. Transportation & Distribution

• All professions related to the handling, moving, and delivery of food products

Implementation and Instructions

The Authority stressed that inspection teams will follow the guidelines attached to the circular to ensure standardized procedures and accurate verification of each worker’s eligibility and compliance with approved working conditions.

The circular comes into effect on November 23, 2025, the date of its official issuance.

The Authority urged all employers to verify the validity of their employees’ health licenses to avoid legal consequences in the event of violations.For daily updates on Kuwait gold price today, market news, and investment tips, follow our WhatsApp channel:
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