By SOMAN BABY

EXPATRIATES with work visas which have been expired for up to a year have until January 31 to renew them.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) had earlier set the deadline as December 31 last year, but has decided to extend it.

“Though we announced that such visas would not be renewed after December, we have decided to extend the grace period till January 31,” said LMRA chief executive Ali Radhi.

“This is to allow more time for such expatriates to legalise their stay.

“They should realise that the LMRA has done everything to streamline the labour market by granting enough time to illegal residents to make their stay in the country legal.”

Mr Radhi said the first such measure was the general amnesty, under which all illegal residents were allowed either to leave the country without paying fines or to legalise the stay.

“We have also allowed them to transfer their sponsorship to another employer within one month after the expiry of their visas,” he noted. All workers reported as “absconded from work” (runaway) will have one month to challenge the report.

After that, they will neither be allowed to return to their original employer, nor transfer to a new one.

“Employers will be able to replace an absconded worker after six months , if the worker did not leave the country,” he said.

“LMRA encourages all foreign workers to check their legal status occasionally through our website www.lmra.bh to avoid any surprises and legal consequences,” he added.

Work permits issued by the Labour Ministry prior to

July 1 last year can no longer be used, said Mr Radhi. Figures on the number of people

staying with expired work visas are not yet available.