Backlash for expatriates; Opportunity for more expatriates in Bahrain’s job market

Manama : With more emphasis on indigenization in all sectors of Bahrain, the employment opportunities of expatriates are decreasing. Some members of Parliament also demanded in the House that more natives should be employed in many sectors, indicating a setback for future expatriate employment opportunities.
The Ministerial Committee on Community Services also submitted a remarkable memorandum in this regard at the weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by the Crown Prince yesterday. Reportedly, more expatriates have found opportunities in Bahrain’s labor market.
In the first half of 2024 alone, 19,689 Bahrainis benefited from private sector employment opportunities, the report notes. This is 98% of the annual target of 20,000 jobs. This achievement reflects the commitment of the government and the private sector to increase employment opportunities among local citizens. In recognition of these efforts, the Cabinet expressed its gratitude and appreciation to all private sector companies and institutions that played a role in facilitating the employment of Bahrainis during the third quarter. In addition, 13,679 Bahraini nationals participated in training programs during this period. This exceeded the annual target of 10,000 trainings by 137%. Such government-assisted trainings are aimed at equipping the native candidates with the necessary skills to get employment in various fields. The fact that the government will pay a portion of their salary when they are employed in the private sector is also an incentive for private
companies to employ natives.
The Cabinet discussed the memorandum in detail and accepted its recommendations. Many expatriate candidates come to the country on visitor visas in search of employment, but most of them are unable to get employment. Many people are looking for jobs in private companies. There is no longer an opportunity for those who have arrived on a visitor visa to switch to a work visa without returning home, which is also disrupting the selection of candidates for companies. However, many candidates continue to search for jobs on visitor visas.