MPs Target Qualification Forgery in Expat Work Permits

TDT | Manama

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Before an expat worker gets a permit, MPs want their qualifications checked first, as Parliament prepares to debate on Tuesday a proposal linking the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) more closely with the bodies that verify academic credentials.

The Services Committee has recommended backing the amended wording, which drops an earlier idea for an internal LMRA committee and instead calls for coordinated checks of academic qualifications across professional fields before work permits are issued.

MP Jalal Kadhem, who submitted the original version, said the volume of expat workers in both the public and private sectors called for firmer screening before permits are granted. ‘There must be stricter oversight by checking academic qualifications for all professional specialisms, in all their forms,’ he said. He also framed it as an early check against forgery: ‘This is a preventive step to uncover whether qualifications are genuine or not, especially as some forge qualifications and papers with the intention of working in the Kingdom.’

In its written reply, the LMRA said the end goal is already being met for specialist roles because such jobs are legally tied to professional licences issued by the relevant licensing bodies, which verify credentials under their own rules. ‘The objective sought by this proposal is already achieved on the ground for specialist professions,’ the authority said. It added that it will not grant a work permit for a role that needs a professional licence unless that licence is provided, and argued that checking academic certificates is outside its legal remit: ‘Checking educational qualifications and verifying their authenticity is not within the LMRA’s legal mandate; this is carried out by the licensing body.’

The proposal has drawn mixed views. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry opposed it, arguing that specialised bodies already assess educational qualifications. Trade union groups supported the move. The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions said certificate forgery is a criminal act punishable by law and argued that recognising qualifications protects employers, while the Bahrain Free Labor Unions Federation (Al Hurr) said the change would help cut unemployment among Bahrainis and strengthen the role of national talent across economic sectors.

The Services Committee recommended approval of the amended proposal, citing public-interest grounds linked to the scale of expat employment and the risk of forged qualifications in sensitive roles.