Minister: No Job Is Assigned Without Matching the Applicant’s Qualification

Acting Minister of Labour Yousef bin Abdulhussein Khalaf affirmed that the ministry does not nominate jobseekers or contact them to offer vacancies, stressing that applicants independently choose positions that match their qualifications through the National Employment Platform. The platform provides full details of each vacancy, including salary, job title, required qualifications, specialization, employer name, location, and work schedule. He emphasized that the electronic system does not allow any jobseeker to apply for a position that does not match the employer’s specified requirements.

Responding to a parliamentary question from MP Khalid Buang about employment, unemployment, and the directives of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to provide three job opportunities for every jobseeker by the end of the year, the minister revealed updated figures. According to October 2025 data, 11,452 individuals are currently benefiting from unemployment support. This includes 3,479 jobseekers unemployed for less than a year, 6,258 unemployed for one to five years, and 1,715 who have been searching for more than five years. He confirmed that there are no plans or mechanisms to reduce the number of beneficiaries, in full compliance with laws governing eligibility and disbursement.

Khalaf reiterated that the ministry does not directly offer job opportunities to applicants. Instead, employers publish available vacancies on the platform, while the ministry reviews and verifies details such as salary, qualifications, and required specialization before posting them. Jobseekers may then freely nominate themselves for any suitable role without limitation. The system guides users toward appropriate opportunities, and those who consistently avoid applying are invited to a counseling session with an employment specialist. He clarified that jobseekers receiving benefits for more than five years have not rejected two job offers—as stipulated in Article 24 of the Unemployment Insurance Law—which means the ministry cannot investigate refusal reasons, as the required condition has not been met.

Regarding the directive of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to provide three opportunities for each jobseeker, the minister stated that the ministry has already begun coordinating with Tamkeen, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This joint effort includes intensifying outreach teams to attract more vacancies from private-sector establishments, expanding training and qualification programs, and enhancing wage support initiatives.