A group of MPs has proposed limiting the employment tenure of expats in the civil service in Bahrain to just four years, with an aim to prioritise the employment of locals in the sector.
Recommending changes to the 2010 Civil Service Law, five MPs, led by services committee vice-chairman Mohammed Al Olaiwi, said the nation could benefit from the skills and expertise of expats during their term of employment but the focus should be on ensuring that qualified Bahraini nationals are given priority in the country’s public sector.
“By setting a fixed tenure, we believe that expatriates can still contribute to the public sector, but in a way that emphasises knowledge transfer and skill development to Bahraini employees who will eventually take over these roles,” said Mr Al Olaiwi.
“Under the proposal, expatriates in civil service positions would be required to train Bahrainis as part of their jobs, with an emphasis on transferring specialised skills and professional expertise to local staff,” he added.
Mr Al Olaiwi asserted that this policy could also bring several economic benefits, as Bahrainis replacing expatriates would mean that government salaries and benefits would stay within the country, potentially boosting local economic growth.
“Additionally, it aligns with Bahrain’s broader nationalisation strategy, which has focused on increasing Bahraini representation in both the public and private sectors,” he stressed.
Currently, there are around 7,000 expats on the government’s payroll on two-year renewable contracts, costing the government annually around BD60 million in wages and allowances. The government has expressed concerns over the feasibility of quickly replacing expatriates in highly specialised fields where there may be limited local expertise.
It also added that ensuring the rapid training and preparation of Bahrainis to take on these roles could require significant investment in workforce development programmes.
It said it believed in the replacement process, but was concerned about the time limit.
However, the MPs said that by creating a time-limited but impactful tenure, expatriates will still be motivated to contribute effectively, understanding the importance of passing on their knowledge before their term ends.
The proposal will go through the standard legislative review and approval process in Parliament, where it may be subject to amendments or additional conditions.
It will now be studied by the services committee following referral by Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam yesterday.
“If this proposal becomes law, Bahrain could see a significant shift in the makeup of its civil service, with a bigger proportion of public sector roles being held by Bahraini nationals,” said Mr Al Olaiwi.
Meanwhile, another proposal, to reduce interest by 20 per cent on financing government housing services, was presented by five MPs, led by Eman Shuwaiter, yesterday.
The MPs said, in their explanation, that interest rates reach up to 50pc on financing, which reaches up to 30-year payment on instalment.
Also, the National Strategic Thinking Bloc has asked Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa for a detailed progress report on the 2023-2026 Government Action Plan.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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