Step up war on trafficking

BAHRAIN could face an influx of illegal workers if it does not face up to human trafficking, a leading rights activist has warned. Although the problem of immigrants attempting to gain access to the country’s shores is not major now, it could soon become a significant issue in the Gulf, said Migrant Workers’ Protection Society action committee head Marietta Dias Continue reading

Era of sponsorship ends in Bahrain

Expat tax strike planned across Bahrain

   HRW praises Bahrain labour law reforms

   Bahrain scraps sponsorship system, Gulf first

Bahrain on Saturday became the first Gulf state to abolish controversial labour laws that restrict the free movement of workers amid praise from rights groups and criticism from local industry Continue reading

Labour fees ‘forcing shops to shut down’

HUNDREDS of shops could have been forced to close as a result of the government’s “crippling” labour market fees, it has been claimed.

Bahrain’s small and medium-size business owners say the burden of the BD10 monthly charge for foreign workers has driven many to pull the plug on their enterprises Continue reading

New fee blow!

FISHERMEN already on the verge of financial ruin have been hit by a new insurance fee for Indian workers.

The Indian Embassy has introduced a BD950 fee per expatriate which sponsors have to pay into an Indian bank account before they come to Bahrain.

Fishermen are due to raise the issue with Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a meeting today.

They say the fee will be a major burden, costing them hundreds of thousands of dinars. Continue reading

Expat workers soar by 19%

A FOREIGN recruitment drive saw Bahraini firms employ more expats than ever during the 12 months leading up to the end of March, according to new figures released by the government.

A total of 71,000 foreign workers were hired since March last year, swelling the country’s expat workforce by 18.8 per cent.

Expats accounted for around two-thirds of Bahrain’s workforce by the end of the first quarter of this year.

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