A cap on the cost of bringing domestic workers to Bahrain could be introduced, after a majority of the Shura Council members voted in favour of amendments to the 2006 Labour Market Regulatory Law.
This was the second vote taken on the subject after council Chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh halted the first attempt in February this year, saying the amendments were incomplete and lacked cohesiveness.
Of the 36 members present during the chamber’s weekly session yesterday, 34 voted in favour of the changes to the law while two abstained, including Mr Al Saleh.
He tried to halt the vote for a second time but 20 voted against him with 14 in favour and two, including the chairman, abstaining.
The Shura’s legal consultants commission head Dr Nawfal Ghirbal said the amendments were cohesive, clear and strong, pointing out that the relevant government body should be content with the legislation’s flexibility in that the cap would be determined by it rather than the National Assembly.
The legislation would oblige the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), following approval by the authorities concerned, to determine the maximum cost of bringing domestic workers, depending on their nationalities.
Under the legislation proposed by five Shura Council members, led by Abdulla Al Nuaimi, manpower agencies would be forced to adhere to the stipulated rate.
The agencies can willingly offer discounts but they will be prohibited from taking commission or seeking other rewards from potential sponsors/employers exceeding the pre-determined rate.
LMRA chief executive Nibras Talib asked for time to explore possible solutions that his authority was currently working on with the Foreign Ministry and others relevant bodies before going ahead with the legislation.
He explained that rates were not dependent on nationality, but rather on the actual domestic worker.
“The age, experience, qualifications and other personal factors determine the cost,” said Mr Talib.
“Also, the costs of travel, transportation and source manpower agencies are add-ons to the fees and that market is out of our hands,” he added.
“We charge BD76 annually for the permit or BD118 for two years and this gets on the bill.
“The margin of profitability for Bahraini manpower agencies is 20-25 per cent before work permits are issued.”
Mr Talib said agreements with source countries are on the way, notably Ethiopia and Kenya.
“The Foreign Ministry and the LMRA are working to get deals for domestic workers that would maintain prices from source countries,” he said.
He added that there are more than 100 authorised local manpower agencies and some direct providers besides domestic workers per hour that people can choose from.
Foreign Ministry officials, led by legal affairs director Mohammed Alhaidan, told the committee that the rates were high due to two reasons: lack of agreements with countries domestic workers come from and the limited number of countries that offer nationals for domestic work.
Services committee chairwoman Dr Ibtisam Al Dallal said caps were already being implemented in neighbouring countries.
For instance, in Saudi Arabia, for Filipinos the cost dropped from BD1,590 to BD1,470, Sri Lanka from BD1,500 to BD1,380, Bangladesh from BD1,300 to BD1,175, Kenya from BD950 to BD830 and Ethiopia from BD690 to BD590.
In the UAE, for Filipinos the current rate is BD1,400, Indonesia and Sri Lanka BD1,500, Nepal BD1,450, India BD1,200, Bangladesh BD700, Uganda and Kenya BD650 and Ethiopia BD500.
In Qatar, for Indonesia nationals it is BD1,700, Sri Lanka BD1,600, Philippines BD1,500, Bangladesh and India BD1,400, and Kenya and Ethiopia BD900.
In Kuwait, for Asian nationals it is KD750 (BD917), African nationals it is KD575 (BD703) and for temporary work entry KD350 (BD428).
In Jordan, it is BD1,143 for Bangladesh nationals, BD1,117 for Ethiopian nationals, BD1,064 for Ugandan nationals, BD1,383 for Nepalese nationals, and BD1,596 for Philippines’ nationals.
Shura’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati said the concept addresses a problem, but questioned its implementation.
“Bahrain has around 80,000 domestic workers compared to 3.5 million in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “Of course, the prices of recruitment will vary. How will LMRA control a price it has no control over?”
Bahrain Association for Recruitment Agencies board chairman Mona Al Mulla backed the legislation in principle, but questioned how a fees chart can be drawn up with varying costs and competition amongst manpower suppliers from source countries.
The government will have to draft the approved amendments as proper law within six months and refer to Parliament and Shura.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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