ع
Bahrain MP Dr Muneer Seroor pressed for limits on foreign worker permits while visiting the Labour Ministry on August 26 2026 where he met officials from the employment unemployment compensation support and labour relations departments. According to News of Bahrain Seroor argued that restricting permits and increasing Bahraini hires represent the most effective approach to stemming remittance flows and keeping wages within the local economy. The lawmaker added that such measures would circulate money inside the kingdom and raise overall cash levels in the market.
Seroor told ministry staff that Bahrainisation must focus on measurable job outcomes rather than numerical quotas with employer requirements matched directly to available Bahraini jobseekers. A report in News of Bahrain quoted him stating that skills gaps should be closed through focused training programmes so that nationals receive priority for positions when they possess the necessary abilities or can acquire them. The discussions also addressed methods to accelerate hiring processes improve internal ministry operations and maintain up-to-date records for job applicants.
News of Bahrain reported that Seroor emphasised job creation and workforce stability as a shared national responsibility during the meeting. He called for stronger collaboration between parliament and the ministry on legislation that generates employment along with training initiatives that channel jobseekers into higher-paying roles. The MP further examined issues including unemployment benefits court decisions favouring applicants and job security measures that give Bahrainis greater labour market preference.
A National Audit Office report referenced in earlier parliamentary debates indicated that expatriates comprise approximately 90 percent of private-sector workers underscoring the scope of localisation challenges. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority introduced a mandatory 21-day advertising period for vacant positions to Bahraini candidates before foreign work permits may be processed according to 2026 regulatory updates. Companies failing to meet sector-specific Bahrainisation targets now encounter an additional BD 500 fee per foreign worker permit as outlined in ministry guidelines.
Parliament approved an amendment in May 2025 to the 2006 Labour Market Regulatory Law that mandated a cap on foreign permits but the Shura Council rejected the measure in December 2025 citing the need for labour market flexibility. MP Jalila Al Sayed who chaired the services committee at the time stated that tighter LMRA oversight would redirect opportunities to nationals while recruiting only qualified foreigners who observe local regulations. Acting Labour Minister Yousif Khalaf and LMRA chief Nibras Talib cautioned that rigid caps could impede infrastructure projects and private-sector expansion given demand fluctuations observed during the pandemic years.
