Recruit Bahrainis: LMRA

Manama : Chief Executive Officer of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), Osama bin Abdulla Al-Absi, has called on employers to hire Bahrainis while recruiting to fill job vacancies, and to remain committed to the Bahrainisation target determined by the law.

LMRA is currently examining companies ahead of the launch of the second phase of the ‘Parallel Bahrainisation System’ in early May.

Al-Absi asserted that the creation of suitable job opportunities for Bahrainis is among the priorities of the government, noting that Bahrainis have proved their high competence at various work environments.

The LMRA chief lauded the commitment of about 60 per cent of companies to the required Bahrainisation rate, and the keenness of some companies to increase the rate of their Bahraini workforce, which, he said, reflects the competency of Bahrainis, on the one hand, and the sense of responsibility of the companies’ officials.

Business owners were urged to increase the rate of Bahrainis through availing employment services provided by the Labour and Social Development Ministry and the incentives delivered by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) to recruit Bahraini workers and rehabilitate them.

He underlined LMRA’s keenness on close follow-up on the companies’ records through inspection campaigns to make sure that their figures regarding the Bahrainisation rate are accurate.

Al-Absi pointed out that LMRA had sent emails to all companies that have failed to adhere to the Bahrainisation quotas.

The Parallel Bahrainisation System will be applicable in the case of Work Permit Renewal, as of May 1, 2017, in compliance with Cabinet Resolution 27/2016.

The system will be applied on each establishment that has Bahrainisation rate below the target. From  May 1, 2017, the renewal of the work permits will be subject to the Parallel System’s fees being an additional BD300 per 2 year permit. This will be applicable to a number of permits that correspond with the Bahrainisation target.

Employers have been asked to visit LMRA’s page and use Parallel Bahrainisation Calculator to calculate the number of additional Bahrainis required to avoid paying additional fees.