DFA Welcomes Launch of Bahrain’s Flexi-Visa Program That Now Includes Irregular Workers

08 November 2018 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today welcomed the launch of the Flexi-Visa program by the Bahrain Government, saying it is expected to benefit some 3000 undocumented Filipino migrants there.

In a statement, the DFA said the program, which was launched on Monday, will now also benefit domestic workers who ran away from their employers before 1 November 2018.

“After a series of quiet negotiations and discussions, Bahrain’s Labor Marketing Regulatory Authority (LMRA) announced for the first time that those runaway domestic workers in the country will now be covered by the Flexi Visa program,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said in Manama.

“This is in line with the DFA’s efforts to seek pathways for regularization of our OFWs is in implementation of the mandate of President Rodrigo Duterte to spare no effort to protect our nationals overseas,” Undersecretary Arriola said during the launch and distribution of the the Flexi-Visa or “blue cards” to Filipino beneficiaries.

Undersecretary Arriola said the regularization program, which is unique to Bahrain and a first in the Middle East, addresses the vulnerabilities associated with domestic work.

There were 120 Filipinos who were able to get their “blue cards” during the launch, with another 42 are expected to get their visas on Tuesday.  There are now 267 previously undocumented Filipinos in Bahrain who have received their visas.

Through the Philippine Embassy in Manama, the DFA covered the cost of the payment of the visa fee and the first two monthly administrative fee for the Filipinos who initially availed of the program.

Undersecretary Arriola expressed her appreciation to the Bahraini Government for the initiative, as it provides an avenue for Filipino workers to regularize their status. 

“These reforms are to our mind one of the most progressive among the Gulf Cooperation Countries and demonstrates to the world that a receiving country and a sending country can cooperate to protect migrant rights to their mutual benefit,” she stated.

The Flexi Visa is essentially a residence and work permit made available for the those who have no legal immigration status in Bahrain.

It is renewable every two years, covers health insurance, and return ticket once the contract period has ended, or when the migrant worker wants to return to his or her country. END