The workforce in Bahrain peaked up in size in the second quarter of 2017, reaching 763,618, making a rise of 1.2% compared with the same period in 2016, a report by the Labour and Social Development Minister and the Board of Directors Chairman of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has revealed.

The report also showed an increase in the overall number of Bahraini workers in the public and private sectors by 0.3% to 157,261 in the second quarter, as well as a rise in the number of foreign workers in the private sector by 4.7% compared with the second quarter of 2016.

The figures show stability in the private sector’s growth rates, and prove the success of the government’s strategy aimed at supporting the private sector to be a main engine for the economy and for generating job opportunities, the minister said.

Humaidan lauded the success of the existing cooperation between the Labour and Social Development Ministry and both LMRA and the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), in improving the employment of Bahrainis in the private sector, noting that a total of 10,990 national job-seekers had been recruited by the private sector during the first half of this year, with a monthly average of 1,900 workers.

The minister pointed out that 3,359 job-seekers had benefited from training programmes during the first half of this year, making an increase of 125% compared with the first half of 2016.

He also said that the number of job-seekers had reached 8,470 in June, and that the unemployed rate remained at 4.2%, which, he said, indicates the success of joint efforts to maintain unemployment rates at secure levels.

The average salaries for Bahrainis have surged by 2.1% to reach BD 528 in the second quarter, while the average salaries for them reached BD 407 in the private sector, making an increase of 3.6%, and BD 691 in the public sector, rising by 1.8%.

The report also showed that 38% of Bahrainis in the private sector receive a salary of more than BD500, while 8% of them are paid less than BD 250 a month.

The report, highlighting the labour market’s indicators, was presented during last week’s Cabinet session, chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman AL Khalifa.

The minister asserted that the directives of HRH the Prime Minister and the resolutions issued by the Cabinet have always supporting intensifying initiatives and projects that aim to increase the Bahraini job-seekers’ opportunities to get decent job opportunities.

Humaidan also stressed that the interest and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, through the launch of initiatives aimed at developing the national economy and the labour market, have laid the foundation basis for a new phase based on enhancing the competitiveness of Bahrainis by providing them with training programmes and rising salaries.

He also stressed that the figures prove that the labour market is stable and robust.