kafalat

Kafalat (Arabic: كفالات) is the plural form of kafala, a term used across legal systems in the Arab world and in migration governance to denote sponsorship, guardianship, or guarantees. The root kafala means sponsorship or guarantee and is used in several related contexts. In family law, kafala refers to a guardian's duties for a child or dependent, ensuring care, education, and welfare, often under court or state supervision. In labor and immigration law, kafala describes a sponsorship arrangement in which a sponsor (the kafil) assumes legal responsibility for a migrant worker or dependent, tying the person's immigration status, visa, and employment to the sponsor.

Under kafala systems, the sponsor typically has authority over permissions such as work placement, contract renewal, and sometimes travel or residence changes. Critics argue that such arrangements can create power imbalances and facilitate abuse or coercive labor practices, because dependence on the sponsor can limit a worker’s ability to change jobs, quit, or leave the country. In response, several countries in the Gulf and elsewhere have implemented reforms to broaden worker mobility, reduce visa-linked control, or establish labor courts and minimum protections; however, implementation and enforcement vary, and concerns remain about exploitation and insufficient enforcement.

Outside migration contexts, kafalat also denotes guarantees or warranties in commercial and civil contracts, including performance bonds or guarantees provided by one party to secure obligations.

Kafalat thus describes a family or legal guardianship arrangement and, in migration contexts, the sponsor-based framework governing residence and work eligibility for migrants. The term is commonly encountered in discussions of labor migration, human rights, and family law in Arabic-speaking regions.