By SOMAN BABY
COMPANIES are massively behind in providing up-to-date information on their expatriate workers to labour authorities, it emerged yesterday. Sixty-one per cent of companies and other employers in Bahrain have registered with the new Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
But between them they have updated information on only 13 per cent of the country’s expatriate workforce, said LMRA acting public relations and e-services manager Waheed Al Balushi.
Out of 60,981 companies and organisations, only 38,066 registered with the LMRA, he told the GDN.
“These include government entities, commercial and non-commercial organisations and non-government bodies,” said Mr Al Balushi.
“However, the number of individuals whose data with us have been cleansed is only 64,917, or 13pc, out of a total of 486,404 expatriate individuals whose data should be cleansed before July 1.”
It is the responsibility of the employers to cleanse the data of their employees with LMRA, which will start issuing work visas on July 1, said Mr Al Balushi.
“We shall soon intensify a campaign to educate the employers on the importance of data cleansing,” he added.
“We want to remind both employers and employees that they will be losers if they fail to register and cleanse the data.
“Applications from such companies and individuals will not be processed by LMRA.”
Mr Al Balushi said companies should present photocopies of their employees’ passports and CPR cards at the LMRA.
“It may take a week or two, and sometimes even a month for the verification process to be completed,” he added.
“A password is given to all companies which register and to check their Bahrainisation percentage on our website.
“The password can also be used to check the accuracy of their data. We welcome feedback from such companies.”
The LMRA board has approved the Bahrainisation percentage required for the private sector in Bahrain, based on the nature of their activities.
Meanwhile, the LMRA is continuing its mission of enrolling all expatriate workers into its system.
The total number of expatriates enrolled so far has reached 203,200, said Mr Al Balushi.