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Employer Rights and Obligations

In line with its responsibilities to regulate the Labour Market in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority has set a number of mechanisms that facilitate monitoring and regulation of the Labour relationship between the employer and his employees. In addition to the rights and obligations stipulated for the employer by virtue of the law, and therefore we note the most important rights and obligations that must be implemented and followed:

Employer Rights

  1. The employer has the right to appeal against any decision issued by LMRA against him within thirty days from the date of his notification of this decision.
  2. The employer has the right to cancel the work permit of the expatriate employee before his arrival in the Kingdom of Bahrain and replace him with another expatriate employee or refund him the work permit fees in the event that the LMRA cancels the permit before the worker arrives in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
  3. The fees for the remaining months of the validity of the work permit shall be refunded when the expatriate employee transfers to another employer.
  4. The employer has the right to renew the expatriate employee's work permit before the expiry of the work permit period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days so as not to fall into legal accountability for employing the expatriate employee after the expiration of the work permit period.
  5. The employer has the right to pay the settlement amount within seven working days of offering him the settlement regarding the violation, in order to avoid reviewing the Public Prosecution or the court.
  6. The employer has the right to make an optional insurance for domestic employees and their equivalents, and the employer can choose the appropriate package that he desires, which covers the death of the worker (for any reason), permanent partial or total disability due to accident, critical illness, treatment expenses related to accidents, mortal remains repatriation in case of death, absence from work in violation to the terms of the work Permit.

Employer Obligations

  1. Register your establishment and update the register of expatriate employees and all details and information related to them.
  2. Do not employ an expatriate employee without a valid work permit issued by LMRA in accordance with the law.
  3. Employing the expatriate employee to carry out work at the premises indicated in the permit, or in the branches of the employer that practice the same activity and using the expatriate employee to perform the same job role (occupation) mentioned in his/her work permit.
  4. Do not to provide data, information or documents contrary to the truth in order to obtain a work permit without an actual need for it, and you are also prohibited from keeping the work permit when it is no longer needed.
  5. Do not charge money or obtain any other benefits or advantage from an employee for issuing him a work permit, or renewing it.
  6. Provide all documents and papers to the LMRA's inspectors during the inspection visits.
  7. Pay the prescribed monthly fees for the work permit to LMRA on the specified date.
  8. Inform LMRA immediately when an expatriate employee is absent from work against the conditions of his work permit.
  9. Inform LMRA if the expatriate employee gets infected with a contagious disease, which obliges LMRA for his expulsion from the country as specified by the regulations of Ministry of Health. Also notify LMRA if you intend to liquefy the business’s capital, or as soon you file for insolvency or bankruptcy, or canceling your registration of the commercial registration (CR) or revoking the activity license.
  10. Pay the wages of expatriate workers on time according to the employment contract, and prove this in the wages protection system in accordance with the provisions of Resolution No. (68) of 2019 regarding the wages protection system.
  11. Ensure the completion of the enrolment process of expatriate employees and their family members (digital fingerprints, photo and signature) on the specified dates.
  12. Provide the employee with a comfortable and healthy residence. According to the agreement in the work contract between the two parties to the labour relationship.
  13. Ensure that the working environment is healthy and safe and equip the employee with any necessary safety equipment.
  14. Do not abuse or incite an expatriate employee to violate the laws and regulations of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Last Update: 20-03-2024.

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