MPs vote to limit foreign work permits amid government and labour authorities’ concerns

TDT | Manama

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MPs voted yesterday to impose a legal cap on foreign work permits, advancing the measure despite concerns from the government and labour authorities that it could prove counterproductive.

The bill, which now moves to the Shura Council for further examination, would amend Article 4 of the 2006 law regulating Bahrain’s labour market by replacing a discretionary clause with one that makes a cap compulsory.

The change, if enacted, would require the Ministry of Labour to include a fixed limit within the national labour plan.

Coordination

This must be done in coordination with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and with the approval of the Cabinet.

The plan is due every four years, although it may be revised more frequently if needed. Debate in the chamber was direct and, at times, charged.

Crowded villages

MP Mamdouh Al Saleh warned that expat workers were crowding villages, placing pressure on infrastructure and shifting the character of local communities.

He spoke of packed hospitals, congested roads and overcrowded homes. His argument was that the issue had moved beyond numbers and had become a matter of public strain.

Visa system

MP Jalal Kadhem said the visa system had become rife with abuse.

He pointed to small businesses obtaining multiple trade licences and then acquiring permits in bulk, sometimes two, four or even eight, without proving real demand.

“The rule allowing two foreign permits for every Bahraini hire has pushed numbers far beyond what the market can carry,” he said.

Safety and enforcement

MP Khaled Buanaq focused on safety and enforcement.

He told Parliament that a fellow MP had BD3,000 stolen from his car by an unregistered delivery driver and said his own housemaid had disappeared days earlier.