Who can hold your passport?

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Employers in Bahrain could soon be prohibited from retaining domestic workers’ passports or identity documents without consent under a government bill set for a parliamentary vote next Tuesday, but the proposal has drawn mixed views, with authorities backing the move while a key parliamentary committee argues existing laws already provide sufficient protection.

The draft law proposes fines ranging from BD200 to BD500 for violations and introduces clear rules requiring employers to issue receipts for any documents held and return them immediately upon request.

The proposal also seeks to replace the term “house servants” with “domestic workers” in Bahraini law and place the regulation of employer-worker relations in the sector under a Cabinet-issued framework.

Despite these measures, Parliament’s Services Committee has recommended rejecting the bill in principle, arguing that existing legislation, court rulings and labour regulations already address most of the issues covered.

The draft law, linked to Decree No. 93 of 2024, proposes amendments to key provisions of the Labour Law for the Private Sector, including Articles 2 and 12, and introduces a new Article 184 bis outlining penalties.

The committee said domestic workers are already protected under around 56 provisions in the current labour law, covering contracts, wages, leave, endof-service benefits and dispute resolution. It also cited a 2012 ruling by Bahrain’s Court of Cassation, which affirmed that passports are personal property and cannot be withheld except by legal authority, along with references to Labour Market Law No. 19 of 2006 and LMRA regulations governing domestic worker permits.

In contrast, the Labour Ministry and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) have backed the bill, saying it would provide clearer legal foundations, reduce disputes and better define the rights and obligations of both employers and workers. They added that formalising the ban would help address recurring violations and enhance Bahrain’s international standing in labour rights.

Official data showed that 91 cases involving the retention of workers’ documents were resolved amicably between 2022 and 2024, with most recorded in 2022.

The report also noted that Bahrain had 73,222 domestic workers in 2024, reflecting a gradual decline from previous years. The largest group comprised domestic servants, followed by private drivers, gardeners, cooks and personal care workers.