MPs to Debate Binding Cap on Foreign Work Permits

A legal cap on expat work permits will be brought before Parliament on Tuesday, as lawmakers prepare to examine a proposal that would oblige the government to set binding limits in its national labour strategy. The amendment targets Article 4 of Law No. 19 of 2006 and would replace the current wording, which leaves such restrictions up to ministerial discretion.

Parliament’s Services Committee, which reviewed the draft, has backed it in principle following a majority vote. The proposed change would require the Ministry of Labour, working with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority and with Cabinet approval, to fix a total ceiling on work permits. The cap would be included in the national labour plan, which is due every four years and may be revised more often if needed.

In its submission, the committee said the measure would help limit irregular recruitment from abroad, cut down on outward remittances, and give Bahraini jobseekers a better shot in the market. The Bahrain Free Labour Unions Federation (Al Hurr) also gave its full backing, pointing to the potential for higher national employment.

That view, though, has not gone unchallenged. The government has asked for the bill to be reconsidered. In its view, the proposal risks upsetting the law’s built-in flexibility, which was designed to keep pace with economic shifts without the need for repeated legal changes. It added that the last two national plans have already focused on placing Bahrainis in work, without the need for fixed quotas.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority supported the government’s reading, warning that the current wording gives more room to react to changes. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry also urged caution. It warned against rigid caps or job-specific quotas, saying these could make it harder for the labour market to adapt. Instead, it called for a wider rethink of labour laws rather than piecemeal changes.

The Bahrain Association of Recruitment Agencies also raised concerns. It argued that the amendment runs against the direction set out in Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and could disrupt recruitment in the domestic worker sector. It called for more precise wording to identify which types of workers would be affected, and suggested regular studies by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority before any limits are introduced