A total of 15,433 jobseekers were registered in 2025, with women accounting for nearly 70 per cent of them, it has been revealed.
Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf said that 4,483 were men, while 10,950 were women, noting that jobseeker figures remain dynamic and are directly influenced by both new registrations and successful employment placements.
Yousif Khalaf
The minister stressed that the government continues to intensify efforts to prioritise Bahrainis in employment across all sectors.
He detailed significant hiring activity in the private sector during 2025.
A total of 9,149 new jobseekers were employed in private sector. In addition:
• 7,166 individuals who had previously worked in the private sector and had been unemployed for more than six months secured jobs.
• 4,239 individuals who had been unemployed for between two and six months were re-employed.
• 6,409 employees who had been out of work for less than one month also found new roles.
Meanwhile, the minister announced that approximately 33,400 job vacancies were posted on the National Employment Platform during 2025, spanning a wide range of sectors, qualifications and specialisations.
He said the ministry continues to work in partnership with the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to launch initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Bahraini workers. As a result of these measures, the total number of Bahrainis employed in the private sector has grown to more than 105,000, according to ministry figures.
He also highlighted the ministry’s oversight role in cases involving workforce reductions due to partial or full business closures.
Mr Khalaf confirmed that all such requests are reviewed in accordance with the Labour Law in the Private Sector, with strict adherence to Article 110, which stipulates that “a Bahraini worker with the same efficiency and experience as a foreign worker in the same establishment must not have his contract terminated’.
He emphasised that protecting national employment remains a top priority.
“When reviewing redundancy requests, the preservation of Bahraini workers and the protection of their rights is paramount. The law is clear, and we enforce it rigorously,” he said.
In co-ordination with Tamkeen, he added, the ministry closely monitors companies benefiting from wage support programmes to ensure they retain national employees after subsidies expire.
“If a dismissed Bahraini registers in the unemployment benefits system and the termination is found to be linked to the end of wage support, Tamkeen is notified to take the necessary legal action against non-compliant employers.”
Furthermore, he confirmed, that companies found dismissing Bahrainis for reasons related to wage subsidies are barred from posting new vacancies on the National Employment Platform.
“Our objective is not only to create jobs, but to ensure sustainable employment for Bahrainis,” Mr Khalaf added.
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