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Expatriate Employee Rights and Obligations

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a preferred destination for expatriate employees, as they are attracted by the Kingdom’s openness to the cultures of the world, in addition to the legislation that provides them with legal guarantees and promotes means of justice and fairness, in case of disagreement regarding the work relationship, and we note some of the most important rights and obligations established in accordance with the legislation and regulations in force with the aim of raising cultural awareness concerning the labour relations that workers usually need at the beginning of the work field:

Expatriate Employee Rights

  1. You have the right to change your employer after working for one year with your employer, but you need to Inform LMRA and the employer of your intention to work with another employer, within the period specified in the employment contract and follow the transfer procedures.
  2. You have the right to lodge a grievance against any decision taken by the LMRA within 30 days of the issue of the decision.
  3. Your passport is your own property, if you decide to hand it over for safe keeping to anyone, please make sure you have an acknowledgement of receipt from the holder of the passport.
  4. In the event that you have been subjected to abuse, or have been incited to violate laws and regulations, please report it to the nearest police station, resort to the Protection and Grievances Centre, or the Ministry of Labour, or contact your embassy.
  5. You have the right to receive your wages in full at the time specified and agreed upon in the employment contract. If the receipt is not received, you must continue working and the employer must be notified of this breach. You may claim your wages and file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour or register a labour case exempt from fees at LMRA’s Protection and Grievances Centre or the Director of Labour case at the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf.
  6. You should under no circumstances pay any money in return for issuing a work permit for you, continuing your work, or keeping you under any circumstances, and you must resort to LMRA’s Protection and Grievances Centre.

Expatriate Employee Obligations

  1. Do not work in any work that is not stipulated in the work permit.
  2. Provide LMRA with the digital fingerprints, photo and signature when entering the kingdom of Bahrain for the first time, or within a period not exceeding one month from the date of entry.
  3. Do not leave or be absent from work for more than 15 days without the employer's notice or permission.
  4. Do not work for anyone other an employer authorized to employ you with a work permit.
  5. Work only at your employer's premises as stated in the work permit, or in the employer’s branches that carry out the same activity.
  6. Inform LMRA and the employer of your intention to work with another employer (transfer), within the period specified in the decision issued regarding the procedures for transferring the expatriate employee to another employer.
  7. Abide by all rules and regulations in the Kingdom of Bahrain to ensure a safe and legal stay in the Kingdom.
  8. Open a bank account and provide the employer with the account number.
  9. Upon the expiry of your Work permit you have a 30 days grace period to either find a new employer or to leave the country, you may not take up any interim job during this period.
  10. You should regularly check your work permit status on Expat Portal and keep LMRA system updated with your latest information i.e. mobile number and E-mail address.
Last Update: 23-05-2024.

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