MANAMA — Bahrain’s launch of labour friendly initiatives allowing expatriates to change jobs without no-objection certificates from sponsors has received a thumping welcome from workers, while businessmen pressed on with their reservations about the reform

The new rules became effective from August 1 under the Labour Market Reform Law implemented last year.

A Bangladeshi national, Abdulkhaliq Mohammed, said sponsorship reforms would end exploitation of workers.

“I have been working for the same sponsor for the last 10 years without any raise. He may consider giving me one for fear of losing an experienced worker.” Abdulkhaliq said businessmen should not oppose the system as expatriates would not leave their jobs if they had good employers.

Nazia Shaikh, an Indian who works with a private company, welcomed the rules because they gave more labour rights to expatriates. “The system makes me feel secure and in control of my life as I can shift to another job whenever I want to, without thinking of the opinion of my employer.”

The President of the Bahrain Construction Company, Nedham Kamashki, however, feared the system would affect companies facing severe shortage of workers. “How can construction companies sign huge deals if they are not sure their manpower will remain with them to complete their projects? Under the system, foreign workers might shift jobs for a small increase in salary and that could affect the interests of businessmen and companies.”

An owner of  a mobile phone shop, Isa Mohammed, supported Kamashki and said small firms would not survive  the labour reform initiatives, especially in a global recession. “Small businessmen like us have no big savings to help us overcome new changes in local and international markets, so such a system could be disastrous.’’

A spokesman for the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Waheed Al Baloshi, said Bahrain did not expect a rush of foreigners changing jobs, “as they might need some time to adjust and understand the new service”.