A total of 105,000 Bahrainis are employed in the private sector, Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf revealed yesterday.
He said that since September last year, the Labour Ministry has intensified co-ordination with Tamkeen, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the private sector to ensure that every registered job-seeker was offered at least three employment opportunities by the end of last year.
He added that during the initiative’s implementation period, 4,746 Bahrainis were employed and 4,485 new job-seekers were registered with the ministry.
“This reflects the dynamic nature of the labour market,” Mr Khalaf said.
As of early December, 9,685 job-seekers had received three or more interviews, with 3,685 Bahrainis securing jobs directly through the initiative.
“The total Bahraini employment in the private sector has now exceeded 105,000 citizens,” said the minister.
“The focus is not merely on employment numbers, but on stability and the quality of work.”
He added that the parallel Bahrainisation system has also helped make citizens the first choice for employers.
The system is designed to benefit companies requiring additional work permits for expatriates, but have not reached the required Bahranisation quota qualifying them to obtain the permits. Employers have to then pay an extra fee to bypass the system.
Mr Khalaf added that the parallel Bahrainisation system generated more than BD26 million in fees between 2023 and October 2025, as thousands of private-sector firms continued to rely on the mechanism to recruit expatriate workers while falling short of mandated national employment ratios.
He stressed that the system was never designed as an alternative to employing Bahrainis, but rather as a regulatory and financial deterrent to push companies towards compliance.
“The parallel Bahrainisation system is an additional financial measure imposed on employers who do not meet required Bahrainisation ratios,” the minister said.
“It supports government policies that place Bahraini citizens as the first choice in employment while strengthening labour market efficiency and sustainability.”
Mr Khalaf revealed that the policy has delivered tangible results, with the average Bahrainisation rate in the private sector rising to 52 per cent, compared to 38pc previously.
According to LMRA data, the system delivered a significant revenue of BD26.54m during the same period – including BD9.41m in 2023, BD9.25m in 2024, and BD7.88m from January to October 2025.
The minister said most of the revenue came from new permit issuances, with renewals forming a smaller proportion.
“These revenues are part of a broader labour market regulation framework,” Mr Khalaf said.
“They are not incentives for employers to bypass national hiring. All employers who fail to meet Bahrainisation ratios are subject to the same additional fees, without discrimination.”
Refunds are permitted only in limited circumstances – such as when a foreign worker transfers to another employer or when a permit is cancelled before entry into Bahrain.
Refunded amounts reached BD358,612 in 2024 and BD301,833 by October 2025.
The minister ruled out claims that companies were being forced to list vacancies. He explained that the ministry contacts and encourages companies to submit vacancies to the National Employment Platform, stressing that many employers co-operate voluntarily.
“There are employers who respond positively and offer vacancies of their own free will,” he said.
“We also have a dedicated marketing team working to supply the platform with the largest possible number of job opportunities.”
Mr Khalaf underlined that the ministry’s role is regulatory and facilitative, urging the private sector to continue supporting what he described as a ‘major national effort’.
“Our goal is a balanced labour market that protects Bahraini workers, supports responsible businesses and sustains economic growth,” he said.
“This requires firm regulation, transparency and continuous co-operation between the government and Parliament.”
&uuid=(email))