The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and Health Ministry decided to develop the existing medical checkup for expatriate manpower and link the system with the GCC medical checkup system for expatriate workers that is scheduled to be launched in January 2012. The decision was made during a high-level meeting on October 17.

LMRA CEO Ausamah Al Absi said LMRA agreed to carry out drastic upgrading of the current medical checkup system for expatriate workers.

The system that was adopted two years ago stipulates instantaneous repatriation of an expatriate worker who does not pass medical checkup. Pre-employment medical checkup certificates are issued from 96 centres in seven Arab and Asian manpower exporting countries.

The database in the new system will be mutually shared by LMRA, Health Ministry and General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence.