A CV for a job in Kuwait is usually two pages in English. Near the top it shows your nationality, current location and residency status, including whether your visa can be transferred. List your degree exactly as it appears on the certificate: Kuwait's Public Authority for Manpower checks that qualifications fit the profession on the work permit, and employers often ask for attested degrees.
These are common practices, not legal rules, and employers differ. Every example is fictional; replace each [bracketed] detail with your own, and follow the job posting when it asks for something specific.
What a Kuwait CV usually includes
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Header | Name, target role, +965 or home phone, email |
| Personal details | Nationality, current location, residency status, transferable or not, notice period |
| Profile | Three lines: role, years of experience, GCC experience |
| Work experience | Newest first, with clients, projects or volumes you handled |
| Education | Degree title as printed on the certificate, institution, year |
| Licences and certifications | Kuwaiti driving licence, professional certificates |
| Languages | English and Arabic with your level |
Residency, transfer and degree checks
Kuwaiti employers ask early whether you are already in the country and whether your residency can be moved to them. Transfer rules are set by the Public Authority for Manpower and have changed several times, so confirm the current conditions with the employer or PAM before you promise a start date.
Write your degree and job titles honestly. PAM links the work permit to a profession and a qualification, and recent rules restricted changing either after arrival. A CV title that does not match your certificate raises questions at the permit stage.
CV sample for Kuwait
Kuwait CV sample (fictional)
[Your Name] — [Target role]
[+965 phone] · [Email] · Kuwait City
Nationality: [Country] · Residency: [private-sector residency, transferable] · Notice: [1 month]
PROFILE: [Role] with [number] years in [sector], [number] of them in Kuwait.
EXPERIENCE: [Job title], [Company], Kuwait — [Month Year]–present
• [Task], [for whom], [result].
EDUCATION: [Degree exactly as on certificate], [University], [Year]
LANGUAGES: English ([level]), Arabic ([level])
- Do I need an attested degree for a job in Kuwait?
- For many work permits, yes. Ask the employer which attestations they need, and start early because the process takes weeks.
- Should I include a photo on a Kuwait CV?
- Many Gulf CVs include one. Use a recent professional photo if you add it, or leave it out when the advert does not ask.
- Can I change jobs in Kuwait?
- Usually, but conditions depend on PAM rules, your time with the current employer and your profession. Check the current rules before resigning.
Compare with the Qatar CV format, the UAE CV format and the Saudi CV format. The CV builder has layouts that keep personal details in the top third.
