05 December 2016 — Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso A. Ver, together with the other ambassadors of labor-sending countries in Bahrain, recently attended a consultation meeting called by Mr. Ausamah Abdulla Al Absi, Chief Executive Officer of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), on the Flexible Work Permit system.

Mr. Al Absi informed the ambassadors that the new system has been approved by the government and is set to be implemented in the second quarter of 2017. The Flexible Work Permit scheme is the government of Bahrain’s legal alternative to employing illegal workers in Bahrain.

The Flexible Work Permit system is open to workers whose employment contracts have been terminated or were not renewed by their sponsors on or before September 20.

Under this system, qualified foreign workers would be allowed to work for a company or individual upon issuance by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) of a two-year flexible work permit. However, domestic workers, workers who have existing employment contracts and those who ran away from their employers are not allowed to avail of the flexible work permit. END