Manama: Employment growth among foreigners was more than double that of Bahrainis during the first quarter of the year, it has emerged.
The figure was six per cent employment growth for expats, compared to just 2pc for Bahrainis.
During the same period last year employment growth was just 2pc for foreigners, compared to 3pc for Bahrainis.
The figures are included in the latest Bahrain Labour Market Indicators released by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
They show that 538,480 expatriates were employed in Bahrain at the end of the first quarter, up from 508,002 at the same point last year.
Meanwhile, the number of employed Bahrainis rose to 156,429 from 153,525 over the same period, meaning that 77pc of Bahrain’s workforce is made up of foreigners.
Total employment in the first four months of this year across the private and public sector was 694,909, including 65,886 female domestic workers and 42,861 male domestic workers.
The number of new work permits issued by the LMRA during the first quarter of 2015 was 33,870, an annual increase of 24.6pc, according to the report.
The construction sector accounted for the highest number of new work permits for regular workers (39pc), followed by the wholesale and retail trade (20pc). Manufacturing and hotels and restaurants accounted for 12pc each.
Renewals
“The number of visa renewals during this quarter was 52,689, of which 40,211 were for regular workers, 475 for investors, 243 for temporary workers and 11,760 for dependants,” said the report.
Companies employing less than 10 workers accounted for 42pc of new work permits.
The average wage for Bahrainis at the end of the first quarter was BD519, up by 1.6pc from BD511 at the same time last year.
sandy@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))