January 22, 2015
Contrary to initial GCC media statements confirming the adoption of new model contract for domestic workers, sources say no new changes were discussed at the November 2014 meeting.
October 29, 2014
September 29, 2014
Bahrain’s cabinet has recently revised the summer midday work ban for employees working outdoors under the sun, reducing it from three months to two and a half months.
Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority has announced the introduction of six-month work permits for migrant workers already residing in Bahrain. This new permit option complements the existing one- and two-year permits, but is not available to workers newly recruited from abroad.
The Bahraini government has ordered public hospitals to refer migrant women to private hospitals for childbirth, with few exceptions. The move is part of a broader trend in recent years to exclude migrants from accessing public services.
Bahrain recently introduced a decision allowing employers who hire workers with invalid or expired work permits to pay reduced fines instead of facing criminal charges. Additionally, migrant workers without valid permits can avoid conviction and deportation by paying a fine.
Starting next year, Bahrain will join other Gulf States in extending its summer midday work ban to three months, following a decision by the Bahraini Cabinet. The ban will now run from June 15 to September 15, replacing the previous two-month period.