KUDOS to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). I had the same experience as Mr Aloma (GDN, June 20) during the registration process for expatriates.
I went to Bahrain International Exhibition Centre for registration in May and was treated in a similar manner.
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA
MANY firms could be in for a shock when they get their first bills from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) next month, says an official. They will be charged for all expatriate employees on their records and those who have not updated them could face bumper bills, said LMRA e-services and public relations manager Waheed Al Balushi.
Expats 'will not be here forever
MANAMA: Bahrain must train its own workforce “before it’s too late”, a top businessman warned last night. “We cannot depend on expatriates forever,” said Sharif Ahmadi, who is also the vice-chairman of the Labour Fund.
We shall find it extremely difficult in future to get qualified and experienced expatriates from Asian countries, which are experiencing an economic boom.
“Before it is too late, we have to train our own people.”
He was speaking at a Labour Fund celebration attended by more than 1,000 people, at the Gulf Hotel’s Gulf International Convention Centre.
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA
APPLICATIONS to issue or renew expat work permits will no longer be accepted by the Labour Ministry. It stopped receiving applications yesterday as it prepares to hand over responsibility for issuing work visas to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) on July 1.
WITH increasing rents, increasing prices and decreased exchange rate of the dinar, it is quite difficult for expatriates on low salaries (less than BD150 per month) to maintain themselves and also look after their families back in India, Sri Lanka, etc for whom they have to send money every month. It is unrealistic to expect that with this one low income they can sustain themselves. LMRA should come up with a mechanism whereby these low-paid expats can do part-time jobs also – legally – to earn that vital extra buck. After all, people do part-time jobs in the US, UK and Europe – and those countries are doing pretty well.
I would like other readers with ideas about this, to contribute
Thinker.
HANDS OFF PASSPORTS!
MANAMA: Bahrain’s bosses were yesterday warned against withholding their expatriate workers’ passports. “Violators will face tough action if they encroach on foreigners’ human and legal inalienable rights,” said Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi yesterday.
Bahrain’s labour laws and International Labour Organisation conventions also ban such a practice, he added.
The increasing number of complaints by expatriate workers has prompted the warning.
“A passport is an official document issued by the country of origin and concerns its holder solely,” he said.
By SOMAN BABY
PEOPLE can now receive training on the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) online services. Authorised personnel from different organisations will be trained on the web services and the Expat Management System (EMS), which has been specially developed for LMRA.
By SOMAN BABY
EXPATRIATES who enrol at the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) festival have been promised legal assistance if they need it.
Thousands of people are shying away from the enrolment festival at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, project manager Hassan Al Rahma said yesterday.
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA
MORE than 60,000 expatriates registered with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) during the first 11 days of its enrolment festival, which opened on June 4.
I HAVE visited all LMRA registration centres including those in Saar, Hidd, Sitra and even the Indian Club to get registered. I even went to the centre they opened at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre last week, but all of them were quite disorganised, to say the least.
All centres have only one registration counter to process data of not less than 200-300 people at any given time.