# Kosovo residence permit administration controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-residence-permit-administration-controversy > Updated: 2026-08-15T19:23:42.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. In July 2026, Kosovo authorities conducted a joint operation involving the Kosovo Police and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) at the Directorate for Citizenship, Asylum and Migration. Four individuals, including officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were arrested on suspicion of abusing their positions to illegally issue residence permits to foreign nationals in exchange for financial gain and falsifying documents. By August 2026, official statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed that 1,259 temporary residence permits were issued in July, with 748 being work-related permits. Turkish and Serbian citizens were identified as the largest groups receiving permits. These figures drew political criticism from LDK deputy Janina Ymeri, who alleged that the government is facilitating the influx of foreign labor while failing to improve domestic employment statistics or address the emigration of the Kosovar workforce. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-15: Kosovo issued 748 work permits in July amid political criticism Kosovo issued 1,259 temporary residence permits in July, primarily for work. Opposition deputy Janina Ymeri criticized the trend, claiming the government is facilitating local labor emigration. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kosovo-issued-748-work-permits-in-july-amid-political-criticism ### 2026-07-21: Kosovo arrests MPB officials over illegal residence permits Kosovo police and intelligence arrested four officials for illegally issuing residence permits and falsifying documents, sparking a corruption probe. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kosovo-arrests-three-ministry-of-internal-affairs-officials-on-corruption-charges --- Cite as: Kosovo residence permit administration controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-residence-permit-administration-controversy