Responses to Information Requests - Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Page 4 of 5 investigations for violating labor laws in 2016" and that Al-Mutairi "expected these companies to be referred to prosecution" (Kuwait Times 15 Jan. 2017). The same article notes that "1,238 peddlers and laborers" were arrested and "deported for violating labor laws" (Kuwait Times 15 Jan. 2017). A May 2017 article by the Arab Times, an English-language Kuwaiti newspaper, indicates that expatriate workers registered with employers blocked by code 71 "will be given a grace period of 60 days for modifying their status and transferring their residencies"; after the end of this grace period, these cases "are referred to the violations committee" (Arab Times 6 May 2017). Without providing further detail, the same source further states that some groups are "excluded" from this grace period, including "husbands of Kuwaiti women, holders of the Palestinian document, and expatriate[s] with families (wife and children)," along with "certain humanitarian cases" (Arab Times 6 May 2017). A September 2017 article by the Arab Times states that, as of August of that year, the "Ministry of Interior has deported 22,000 expatriates for various reasons including those violating the labor laws and criminals, and those who committed serious traffic violations" (Arab Times 10 Sept. 2017). The same source also indicates that the Ministry of Interior is "currently pursuing 80,000 expatriates for violating the labor and residence laws" (Arab Times 10 Sept. 2017). An October 2017 article by the Kuwait Times reports that 843 companies, employing 5,911 employees, had their commercial licenses suspended, while noting that the "raids focused mainly on empty offices of fake companies, in addition to other violations. The employees registered with these fake companies are working somewhere else or are unemployed (marginal laborers)" (Kuwait Times 30 Oct. 2017). The same source cites Abdullah Al-Mutoutah, Deputy Director for Manpower Protection, as stating that these raids will "eliminate human trafficking" and that they "aim to ensure that employers respect the rules of the labor law" (Kuwait Times 30 Oct. 2017). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Note [1] A 2004 article by Gulf News states the following regarding "code 71": Local Arabic daily Al Watan quoted informed sources at the Ministry of Interior as saying that computers belonging to Interior Ministry personnel manning entry terminals show a 'Code 71' marker on private fictitious firms whose files have been declared closed by the social affairs ministry. (Gulf News 8 Sept. 2004) References Al Jazeera. 6 August 2015. Megan O'Toole. "Palestine-Kuwait Relations: 'Ice has Started to Melt.'" [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017] Al-Monitor. 6 April 2017. Huda Baroud. "Palestinian Teachers Seize Golden Opportunity in Kuwait." [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017] Arab Times. 10 September 2017. "Doctors & Graduates Among 22,000 Expatriates Deported." [Accessed 14 Nov. 2017] Arab Times. 6 May 2017. "Code 71 Expats to be Given 60-Day Grace Period - Legalise Stay or Face Violations Committee." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2017] The Arab Weekly. 27 August 2017. "Palestinian Educators Return to Kuwait After Long Absence." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2017] BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. 6 November 2017. Correspondence with a Legal Researcher. BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. N.d.a. "About BADIL." [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017] BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. N.d.b. "Contact Us." [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017] Deutsche Welle (DW). 28 July 2016. Natalie Muller. "Refugee Convention of 1951 Still Crucial Cornerstone of Human Rights." [Accessed 1 Nov. 2017] Gulf News. 21 August 2017. Habib Toumi. "Kuwait Removes Ban on Palestinians Teachers." [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017] http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/Eng/ResRec/RirRdi/Pages/index.aspx?doc=457306&pls=1 2/14/2018