A SURVEY conducted by the country’s main business body has found that a work permit targeting undocumented expatriates has “shocked” the labour market.
The online research, spearheaded by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) to assess the challenges facing the country’s business community, has also shown a strong disapproval of the Flexible Work Permit that was launched by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) in July 2017.
The two-year permit allows expatriates to work with multiple employers on a freelance basis and was designed to combat the illegal sale of visas on the black market.
Bahrain has been praised internationally for introducing the system, which was also mentioned in the US State Department’s report on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 2018.
However, BCCI second vice-chairman Mohammed Al Kooheji yesterday said that while the concept was welcomed, the mechanism has to be reworked and the sector heavily regulated – with claims of unfair practices as undocumented workers being legalised without facing any penalties.
“Things have changed since the LMRA was established in 2006 and we are addressing issues, mainly the flexi-visa system introduced two years ago that has shocked the market – this needs to be regulated and directed,” he said.
“The concept is right but the way it has been implemented is wrong.
“It is true that the flexi permit has gained international acceptance, but that doesn’t mean we should be paying the price for it.
“There are a lot of challenges – a person working with me today is moving tomorrow to another place without any responsibility, there should be some sort of regulation in this movement.”
He was speaking at an open discussion held yesterday by the BCCI board and attended by Bahraini and expatriate business owners, where labour mobility and the role of LMRA employees were among other concerns raised along with the results of the research, which was initiated under the directives of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
The full results of the survey are expected to be published next month.
“We raised the issue with the Prime Minister who was kind enough to understand and said that he was ready to re-address (the scheme),” added Mr Al Kooheji.
“That’s how we started putting things together by forming a team and followed these meetings.
“We are not talking about flexi visa in isolation but about LMRA in totality – the issues like mobility and the law in general.”
Mobility
During the meeting, Bahraini businessman Hisham Mattar pointed out an imbalance in the authority’s approach – explaining that a violating employer was punished but an illegal worker was given a work permit.
“How is this fair? They broke the law or ran away from employers for various reasons and the government is making them official by giving them flexi permit,” he said.
“Can you expect a positive return from this person who already broke the law?
“When an employer breaks the law he faces legal penalty, why is there an imbalance here that it is not the same with employees?”
The GDN contacted LMRA officials for a comment.
“The LMRA cannot comment on a study that we have not seen first hand, we need to carefully consider the methodology, evidence, and findings, before commenting,” said a spokesperson.
In September trade unionists also called for a 25 per cent Bahrainisation quota to be made compulsory in all job sectors, as they criticised the scheme, which they said, effectively allowed freelance employment.
MPs have been calling for months to scrap the flexible scheme and deport holders of the permit.
However, Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan said in an open debate in parliament last month that the permit has resulted in free visa workers dropping from 82,000 to 59,000 in the past nine months. He also reassured MPs that the scheme was introduced with strict criteria to ensure it didn’t harm businesses, the economy or the local labour market.
LMRA chief executive Ausamah Al Absi also told MPs that 78pc of flexi permits were for construction workers, painters or carpenters, 11pc for cleaners, food suppliers and electricians, while the rest were divided among 400 low-income jobs.
According to latest figures, 17,100 expatriates had applied for the flexible permit scheme until January this year.
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