Bahrainis Form 60% of GPIC Outsourced Workforce

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrainis account for 60 percent of outsourced workers at the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), while they represent a smaller share of externally hired staff at Bapco Energies, according to official figures released to parliament.

In a written reply to MP Mohsen Al Asbool, Oil and Environment Minister Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak Bin Daina said that Bapco Energies and GPIC together employ 385 workers through external employment firms.

At Bapco Energies, 266 workers are supplied through third-party firms, including 51 Bahrainis and 215 non-Bahrainis. The company said such hiring is limited to temporary roles, short-term operational needs, and positions requiring specialised expertise not readily available in the local labour market.

Bapco Energies added that these roles are largely technical and tied to fixed-term projects, particularly in refining and major energy developments. It said all external hiring is managed through licensed agencies under human resources oversight, with contractors remaining legally responsible for their employees.

The company said requests for outsourced staff must be justified in writing, with clear details on scope, duration, and purpose, and must comply with Tender Board regulations. Contracts also include provisions to promote Bahrainisation and require contractors to train local staff.

GPIC, meanwhile, employs 119 outsourced workers, 60 percent of whom are Bahrainis. The company said its operations rely on advanced petrochemical technologies requiring highly skilled engineers, operators and technicians.