32 people with disabilities among new hires, H.E. Yusuf Khalaf tells Parliament

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Acting Labour Minister, His Excellency Yusuf Khalaf, told Parliament yesterday that the Cabinet’s figure of 3,685 hires is backed by records held across several state bodies and can be checked by MPs.

Speaking in response to First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman, Khalaf said the ministry and lawmakers share the same general aims, even if they differ on some points, and said the ministry keeps track of the notes and suggestions raised in the chamber.

He said the total is recorded at the Ministry of Labour, the Social Insurance Organisation through registrations and contributions, the eGovernment Authority’s employee data and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority’s Bahrainisation records.

Doubts

He said the ministry understands doubts about the number but maintains that the data are accurate. Khalaf said the ministry cannot publish personal details because of data protection rules.

He added that it does publish hiring data on its website by establishment name and the number employed, allowing public access while staying within the law.

The Minister said the 3,685 count covers those registered with social insurance, not only those who have signed contracts.

He added that outcomes linked to interviews can appear later because employers have a three-month legal window to register new staff with the Social Insurance Organisation, and said higher totals are expected next.

Khalaf said 32 of those hired were people with disabilities and expressed hope that partners will raise this number and give them greater priority.

He also set out a change to how the ministry records interview results after disputes between jobseekers and employers over what was said.

Interviews

From 30 November 2025, he said, the ministry stopped logging any interview outcome that marks a jobseeker as having refused a job, because this can harm jobseekers and is difficult to verify when interviews take place at an employer’s premises.

Instead, the ministry will record only attendance or absence, alongside other legal checks to confirm a jobseeker is serious about finding work. Khalaf said this change removes room for conflicting accounts and will support jobseekers through the National Employment Platform.