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Gulf Digital News reported that the draft law had already been evaluated and endorsed by the Shura Council’s Services Committee. The committee’s approval cleared the proposal for consideration by the full council in an upcoming session. The legislation focuses on cross-border social insurance coverage for Bahraini employees.
The proposal would update the GCC Unified System to enable Bahraini workers to retain access to Bahrain’s social insurance protections when employed in other GCC states. According to the Social Insurance Organisation chief executive Sahar Al Mannai, 4,473 Bahrainis were employed in other GCC countries. This data comes from statements referenced in regional reporting.
The unified system was originally approved under Law No. 68 of 2006, the Social Insurance Organisation has stated on its website. It currently covers several insurance branches with specific contribution rates for employers and workers. Amendments under review would extend the unemployment insurance branch to these workers.
Subsequent reports from EY confirmed that the Shura Council passed the amendments on February 16, 2026. The changes introduce mandatory unemployment insurance deductions of 1 percent of the insured wage from both the employee and the employer. These contributions are remitted to Bahrain’s Unemployment Insurance Account to fund the extended benefits. The updates align entitlements for Bahrainis working abroad with those available domestically.
PwC tax summaries place the overall social insurance contribution rate for Bahraini employees at 26 percent, split between 18 percent from employers and 8 percent from employees. The unemployment portion accounts for 1 percent of that total from each party under the new rules. The system ensures that GCC nationals working in Bahrain follow their home country’s contribution rates as well.
An ILO publication from November 2025 noted that GCC countries are advancing social protection reforms to better cover workers amid high levels of labor mobility. Bahrain’s initiative fits within this regional trend of updating legal frameworks for insurance continuity. The Shura Council debate represented a key step in enacting the updated protections.
