A law aimed at extending social insurance protection for Bahrainis working in other GCC countries has been unanimously approved by the Shura Council.
The legislation updates the GCC Unified System governing cross-border social insurance coverage and introduces new benefits, including unemployment insurance, while reinforcing co-ordination between pension and social insurance authorities across the region.
Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) chief executive Sahar Al Mannai revealed that 4,473 Bahrainis are currently employed in other GCC countries, stressing that existing arrangements – in effect since 2006 – already ensure that Gulf citizens working outside their home states remain covered for core benefits such as old-age, disability and death.
“The regular social insurance benefits for disability, old age and death are being provided since 2006,” she said. “Bahrainis send their pensions here and GCC nationals send theirs to their homeland.”
She explained that discussions are now focused on establishing a broader, unified framework that will eventually include additional benefits – notably unemployment insurance – under harmonised procedures across the GCC.
“We are here to discuss a new umbrella that will include new benefits, which are not backdated,” Ms Al Mannai said. “Any varying payment system such as insurance against unemployment will be managed to ensure that it matches a unified procedure. The difference will be adjusted according to the homeland country even with unified procedures that will be decided later.
“So the Bahraini here or abroad will follow the same social insurance system and so for GCC nationals according to their homelands.”
Her comments came as the Shura Council debated a draft law approving amendments to the GCC Unified System for Extending Social Insurance Protection to citizens of member states working outside their home countries.
Ms Al Mannai said the amendments form part of a wider effort to modernise procedures and enhance technical channels for collecting contributions.
She outlined the process whereby a Gulf employer submits the worker’s documents to the insurance authority in the host country, which then co-ordinates with the worker’s home-country authority before deductions and transfers begin.
The legislation – already approved by Parliament – was unanimously endorsed by the Shura Council and referred to His Majesty King Hamad for ratification.
The services committee, chaired by Dr Jameela Al Salman, said the amendments would enhance social stability, expand coverage and improve co-ordination between civil pension and social insurance authorities.
“This legislation strengthens the safety net for Bahraini citizens employed across the Gulf, particularly by activating unemployment insurance within the cross-border protection system,” she said.
“It guarantees temporary income support for workers who lose their jobs, helping them maintain a decent standard of living and protecting them from sudden social and economic hardship.”
Under the proposed amendments, unemployment insurance becomes part of the unified system.
Bahrainis working in other GCC states would contribute 1pc of their insured wage to the unemployment insurance scheme, with employers paying a matching 1pc, in line with Bahrain’s existing law.
The financial and economic affairs committee confirmed that these contributions would provide additional inflows to the unemployment insurance fund without creating any direct impact on the state budget.
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