The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has taken over responsibility from the Labour Ministry for the licensing of more than 100 recruitment agencies in Bahrain.<\/p>\n
According to new rules, all such companies will have to deposit a minimum BD10,000 in a bank account that could be used to deal with problems involving foreign workers.<\/p>\n
It aims to safeguard the rights of skilled and semi-skilled expatriates, who are often lured to the country with promises of good jobs and salaries, only to end up working in a different occupation on lower wages.<\/p>\n
“The new regulations were published in the official gazette in January and now we are carrying out implementation,” said LMRA chief executive Ausamah Al Absi.<\/p>\n
He said the mandatory deposit system was to “protect the rights of everyone”.<\/p>\n
Mr Al Absi said the new regulations also state a tripartite contract that has to be agreed between the employer, worker and the recruitment agency.<\/p>\n
“This contract will state the right of the workers, size of the family and the house,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The problem we see is the employer or family has no contact with the worker until they reach Bahrain and a proper job contract will make things clear to everyone.”<\/p>\n
The official said existing job contracts were “non-descriptive and vague” that allowed “personal interpretation”.<\/p>\n
The regulations will also help identify recruitment agencies that are not active.<\/p>\n
Mr Al Absi said officials had been implementing the new rules, which are being introduced in a “transition phase” up until the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Rights activists have welcomed shake-up, saying it will help tackle the problem of unscrupulous recruitment agencies.<\/p>\n
“This is a good sign,” said Migrant Workers Protection Society chairwoman Marietta Dias.<\/p>\n
“One of our recommendations for many years is to reform and regulate manpower agencies in Bahrain and set up proper guidelines that need to be followed by all parties.<\/p>\n
“Every single person arriving in Bahrain should come through a manpower agency that is recognised by the government.<\/p>\n
“Even the manpower agency in countries from where they come should also be licensed by the Bahrain government.”<\/p>\n
Ms Dias said workers should have job requirements and conditions explained to them in their own languages before they travel to Bahrain.<\/p>\n
“What we see is that these workers are desperate for job and do not bother to understand the terms and conditions of their employment,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It is important for them to fully understand the job contract before signing it and also ensure they have a copy of this document with them.”<\/p>\n
Bahrain is also in the process of drawing up a law for domestic workers to ensure they are only brought here through licensed recruitment agencies.<\/p>\n
It has already been approved by parliament and is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly during its new term, starting before the end of the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has taken over responsibility from the Labour Ministry for the licensing of more than 100 recruitment agencies in Bahrain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[36,142,540,546],"yoast_head":"\n