INSPECTIONS have been stepped up to identify expats staying in Bahrain without a valid work permit, according to an official.
This is aimed at regulating the labour market and addressing illegal practices, said Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) enforcement and protection acting deputy chief executive Noora Mubarak.
In the first quarter of the year, more than 10,000 inspection campaigns were carried out, marking a 56 per cent jump compared with the same period last year, she said in a statement yesterday.
The number of deported workers rose five-fold while 983 violations were registered against workers without a work permit.
Ms Mubarak said that maintaining a stable work environment and safeguarding the rights of all is a top priority for the LMRA.
“Violations will not be tolerated and inspections will continue in co-ordination with the concerned government bodies,” she said.
“We urge employers to abide by the laws and regulations and verify procedures to avoid any legal action.”
She also urged all irregular workers to correct their legal status either by finding a new job, voluntarily returning to their homeland, or joining the Labour Registration Programme.
People can report violations by filling out an electronic form on lmra.gov.bh or by calling the authority’s call centre on 17506055.
The GDN reported last month that inspections recorded 598 violations in Q1 2023 – a rise of 182pc – while 209 irregular workers were recorded in the same period, an increase of 309.9pc.
Joint inspection campaigns jumped from 48 in Q1 2022 to 155 in Q1 2023.
Two suspected cases of trafficking in persons were referred to the Public Prosecution.
The LMRA also helped file 225 labour cases received at its protection and grievances centre. The LMRA yesterday conducted an inspection campaign in the Southern Governorate, which resulted in violations being reporting that were referred for legal action.
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