A NEW decision to allow construction companies to employ more expatriates will help cut down the number of illegal workers in Bahrain, says a leading contractor.
The decision has been taken by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), changing the cap with regard to the number of expatriates who can be employed by the contractors according to their grades.
MANAMA
Professional fishermen, who have defaulted on their monthly payments to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), will be issued with new work permits and licences as an interim measure, it was announced yesterday.
These steps will last for three months until a permanent solution is found to fishermen’s problems, said Labour Minister and LMRA chairman Dr Majeed Al Alawi.
I appreciate that the LMRA is trying its best to improve services, and it has taken some good steps to develop the labour market. But without a good accounting system how do officials expect to handle the huge amount of money that is flowing in?
I have a small business with five employees. By mistake I paid labour fees for December twice.
By Tom Hanratty
BAHRAIN is one of the highest earning countries in the Middle East, according to a new study.
The GCC Salary Survey and Cost of Living Analysis questioned more than 13,500 people from 20 employment sectors in 13 countries.
FISHERMEN demonstrated for the second day running yesterday – increasing pressure on the government to find a solution to their plight.
The demonstrations coincide with a nationwide strike, which now looks set to continue indefinitely.
intervention by parliament chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani failed to bring an end to the strike yesterday.
He held an urgent meeting with Fishermen’s Protection Society and urged members to return to work while their demands are studied.
But society secretary-general Abdulameer Al Mughani said it would take more than just words to persuade them to call off the strike.
By MOHAMMED AL A’ALI
MPs yesterday backed a nationwide strike by Bahrain’s fishermen and voted in favour of excluding them from paying monthly fees on expat workers.
All employers in Bahrain have had to pay BD10 every month for their foreign workers since the levy was introduced by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) last July.
A proposal to ease the cap on expatriate workers employed by construction companies was approved yesterday.
Under it, third category firms would be entitled to employ 20 expatriates, up from 15 at present.
By BASMA MOHAMMED
STRIKING fishermen yesterday rejected a government plea to go back to sea to put food on people’s tables.
They said they had suffered too much and it would take a personal promise by Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to solve their problems, before they would even consider going back.
MORE than 90 per cent of applications for work visas to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) are being made online, it was revealed yesterday.
The LMRA target rate for online applications was originally set at 60pc, but the rate has been increasing steadily, said chief executive Ali Radhi.