Labour Market Indicators Show Growth in Work Permit Renewals in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

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The latest issue (66) of the Labor Market Indicators report released by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) reveals a significant increase in work permit renewals.

In the second quarter of 2024, the number of work permits renewed at the request of employers reached 116,633, reflecting an 8.1% increase from the same period in 2023, which saw 107,912 renewals.

The total number of work permits issued during this period amounted to 631,763, compared to 411,608 permits issued in the second quarter of 2023. This represents a remarkable increase of 220,155 permits, translating to a 3.8% rise year-on-year.

New Work Permits Issued

In terms of new permits, the LMRA issued 41,792 new work permits in the second quarter of 2024. This includes 33,740 for foreign workers, 1,566 for investors, and 6,486 for family members of foreign workers. However, this marks an 8.6% decrease compared to the 45,730 new permits issued in the second quarter of 2023.

The report provides detailed insights into the renewal processes, highlighting that the 116,633 renewals comprised 99,279 for the labor category, 2,958 for investors, and 14,426 for family members of foreign workers.

Permit Cancellations and Transfers

The data also indicates that 23,778 work permits were canceled during this quarter, while labor transfer requests reached 16,053. Additionally, new permits issued for domestic workers totaled 7,304, with 6,797 renewals.

Unemployment Context

According to official figures from 2023, the unemployment rate stood at 6.3%, with 16,978 registered job seekers in Bahrain.