Labour Market Regulatory Authority

Description of the Project:
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) is a stakeholder in  the current strategic national labour market plan which aims to create job opportunities for citizens and align educational outputs with the needs of the labour market, in addition to enhancing partnerships with the private sector, promoting local and foreign investments in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and further consolidating regulation and laws that attract investments and organize workers in the labour market.

Description of the Project:
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf (MOJ), and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to provide administrative assistance to the expatriate employees in filing labour court cases in the Expat Protection Centre (EPC). A legal framework was then entered into by the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf (MOJ) and Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), granting the latter the ability to provide administrative assistance to registered workers in filing civil court case for monetary claims. This assistance provided is comprehensive, whereby the centre follows up until a verdict is issued.

Laws and decisions issued:

• Law No. (19) of 2006
• Law No. (1) of 2008 PDF (222 KB)
• Decision No. (1) of 2008 PDF (45.4 KB)
• Decision No. (79) of 2009

Description of the Project:
The Kingdom of Bahrain placed importance on implementing the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnership), through institutional structures. The Kingdom of Bahrain has institutionalized the (4 P’s) in the governmental entities represented in the National Committee for Combatting Trafficking in Persons (NCCTiPs). Those entities drive efforts to combat trafficking each in their respective fields, including protecting victims and vulnerable individuals, law enforcement and prosecution, national and international partnerships, and raising awareness, through a harmonized and coordinated mechanisms.

Description of the Project:
Ensuring National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a multi-layered process functioning as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to manage cases of victims or potential victims of trafficking, in addition to vulnerable individuals.
The Expat Protection Centre (EPC), which is the custodian of the NRM, employs its tools and procedures to screen all individuals for indicators of trafficking in persons, prior to referral to the concerned department or government entity.

Description of the Project:
The regionally unprecedented Expat Protection Centre (EPC) receives expatriate employees’ complaints, grievances, claims, as well as providing guidance and assistance. EPC also houses:

• The National Human Trafficking Hotline: (+973 995); a multilingual hotline operating round-the-clock.
• The Victims of Trafficking Sheltering Centre.
• The headquarters of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• The Regional Centre for Training in Combatting Trafficking in Persons (RCTIP).

Description of the Project:
To facilitate expatriate employees' access to the right to file grievances in accordance with Article (33) of Law No. (19) of 2006 Regulating the Labour Market, the Expat Protection Centre (EPC) receives grievances against claims of absence from work, regardless of the administrative status of the expatriate employee filing the grievance, in efforts to prevent malicious absconding reports, as well as addressing irregular employment.

Description of the Project:
Wages Protection System (WPS) endeavors to enhance wage security and fair compensation through the implementation of a robust electronic system to know the extent of the commitment of private sector enterprises to pay wages as agreed and on time through financial transfers through the service providing banks and financial institutions that are approved by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).

Description of the Project:
Through collaboration with the Ministry of Labour (MOL), the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) executives the policy of Bahrainization Target Rates which sets a minimum requirement of Bahraini employment, based on the approved establishment activities.

Description of the Project:
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) launched the Labour Registration Program in partnership with the private sector through Labour Registration Centres with the aim of providing a safe and balanced-work environment that preserves the rights of all parties and the society, enhancing the efforts to eliminate irregular workers and linking work permits to vocational standards and qualifications.

Description of the Project:
To facilitate access to information, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) displays on its official website different guides and documents to navigate through its services and initiatives.

Description of the Project:
In a unique step towards combatting trafficking in persons, preventive monitoring inspectors are trained to identify potential victims of trafficking through inspection visits and campaigns, raise awareness on rights and responsibilities, as well as refer potential cases to the Public Prosecution for legal action.

Description of the Project:
In efforts to mitigate vulnerabilities and combat exploitation among domestic employees, Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has adapted a multi-lingual screening protocol to proactively detect and refer any potential situations to Expat Protection Centre (EPC).

Description of the Project:
Multi-lingual awareness publications highlighting rights and responsibilities are provided to expatriate employees upon arriving at the Kingdom of Bahrain, in addition to (+973 995) hotline brochures. Expatriate employees are also provided with pre-paid SIM cards, to facilitate contact and awareness via SMS.

In collaboration with the private sector, the expatriate employees are provided with an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) to ease the facilitation in them joining the Wages Protection System (WPS).

Description of the Project:
The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) - International Organization for Migration (IOM). joint campaign to raise awareness of employers and expatriate employees on their rights, responsibilities and support services available. Working Together also aims to enhance awareness of trafficking in persons. The initiative adopts a multi-stakeholder and whole-of-society approach, poised to benefit significantly from the collaborative efforts of partners, encompassing private sector entities, civil society organizations, diplomatic missions and United Nations (UN) agencies. It also engages with recruitment agencies, employment offices and other community groups, including faith-based actors.

Description of the Project:
Marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (30th of July of each year), the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) launched a first-of-its-kind national platform in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to bring together representatives from the public, private sectors and diplomatic missions. The forum serves as a platform to reflect on the Kingdom of Bahrain’s continued efforts in combatting trafficking in persons, as well as hosting panelists to highlight and discuss best practices, both in the public and private sector.

Description of the Project:

The Majlis; a traditional Arabic term for a gathering or a council, is a constructive platform where stakeholders can share their perspectives, and exchange thoughts and ideas with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)s Management.

 

Description of the Project:
The Remote Virtual Inspection (RVI) is part of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)s digital transformation in line with the government efforts to digitize its services, to expedite all services related to inspection and monitoring.

Description of the Project:
Service Agreement Portal (SAP) is a platform for registered workers to document service agreements with service receivers, to ensure that the rights of the service provider (registered worker) and receiver are preserved. All registered workers are auto enrolled in the portal.

Description of the Project:
The electronic services for domestic employee permits gives employers the ability to complete transactions electronically via the Expat Management System (EMS) without the need to visit the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), while maintaining the option to apply in person at any of its branches for those who wish to do so.

Description of the Project:
The Virtual Service Centre for employers comes as part of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)s strategic plans to enhance its services by re-engineering processes and optimizing the use of technologies, in line with the government’s aspirations to accelerate digital transformation across government services. The centre initially provides 3 services including:

• Work Permit Renewal
• Update Expatriate Employee Address
• General Inquiries about LMRA Services

Description of the Project:
The Electronic Settlement Service targets violations that are eligible for settlement. This service can be accessed via the eSupport function on the Expat Management System (EMS). This service is part of a package of initiatives and procedural improvement processes that aim to facilitate government services provided to beneficiaries.