A PIONEERING labour market reform has been expanded to include workers who have not been paid their salaries and have filed cases against their employers, according to a top official.
The flexible work permit, launched in Bahrain last July, allows illegal expatriates with expired or terminated work permits to sponsor themselves and work for multiple employers.
It is valid for a renewable two-year period and comes with a residence permit.
Last month, the scheme was expanded to enable thousands of runaway domestic workers to regularise their status and continue working in the country.
Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) chief executive Ausama Al Absi said more than 13,000 people have signed up for the scheme so far.
“Ordinarily, when a work permit expires, the worker can join the scheme,” he said.
“But now, anyone who has not been paid or has a pending case related to non-payment of wages can also avail of the facility.”
However, all these categories of workers have until April 2019 to apply for the permit.
As an incentive, workers applying for the flexi work permit are being allowed to pay the fees upfront for a year rather than two years.
“The first phase of the scheme was limited to correcting the status of irregular employment and dealing with the illegal stay of workers while protecting their rights and avoiding them being exploited.
“Under the second phase, the provisions were expanded to include workers with expired work permits, workers who have not received their salaries and have cases in the labour court, and workers whose employers’ Commercial Registration (CR) has been cancelled.”
The permits, available from the LMRA branch in Sitra, are aimed at combating the illegal visa trade – in which expats shell out as much as BD1,500 to buy residence permits.
When the scheme was launched, authorities said they intended to issue 48,000 permits until 2019, generating as much as BD56 million that would have gone to the black market.
The two-year flexible work permit costs BD1,169, including BD200 for a work visa, BD144 healthcare fee, a BD30 monthly fee and a one-time deposit of BD90 to ensure travel tickets can be refunded in case recipients wish to return home.
There is also a one-time BD15 discounted fee to be paid by a person whose residency has expired. Holders can access free health care services and travel in and out of the country freely.
People can check if they are eligible for the flexible work permits by sending their CPR numbers via text to 33150150 or visiting the website lmra.bh.
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