A parliamentary proposal requiring Bahrain’s labour authorities to impose a fixed annual cap on foreign work permits is set for debate and a vote during the Shura Council session on Sunday.
The Shura Council’s services committee has rejected the proposal, warning that such a measure could destabilise the labour market and drive more workers into illegal employment.
The proposal – which seeks to amend Article 4 of the 2006 Labour Market Regulatory Law – would obligate the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to introduce a strict ceiling on permits issued across all sectors.
Committee chairwoman Dr Jameela Al Salman pointed out that a cap would undermine Bahrain’s flexible labour market model and risk ‘serious unintended consequences’.
LMRA chief executive Nibras Talib told the committee that Bahrain’s labour system is designed to respond to economic needs, not rigid quotas.
He cautioned that a mandatory ceiling would weaken the market’s ability to adjust to supply and demand, spur illegal hiring, increase irregular migrant labour and disrupt the authority’s long-term workforce planning model.
Mr Talib stressed that the current law already allows the government to impose restrictions when necessary through the national labour market plan issued every four years – making a legislative amendment unnecessary.
The Labour Ministry backed the LMRA’s stance, saying fixed permit ceilings offer no proven benefit for boosting Bahraini employment.
Instead, it argued, caps tend to fuel irregular labour markets while doing little to help citizens secure jobs.
“Bahrain does not operate a quota-based system,” ministry representatives said. “Workforce planning is based on real labour market needs, not artificial limits.”
The Shura Council’s legislative and legal affairs committee confirmed the draft law does not violate the constitution, but left policy considerations to the services committee.
Legal advisers said changing one word in the law would fundamentally alter LMRA’s obligations by forcing it to issue annual ceilings.
Proponents in the lower house argue that a cap would limit the inflow of expatriate labour and improve job opportunities for Bahrainis.
They suggested the ceiling could apply either across the entire labour market or be tailored by profession.
However, regulators insist they already possess the legal authority to restrict permits when market conditions demand it.
The services committee believes legislative framework gives authorities adequate flexibility to regulate foreign labour without imposing rigid quotas.
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