Employment
Labour Law 36 of 2012 with a flexible work permit route
The 2012 Labour Law governs private sector employment. Bahrain's flexible work permit, introduced in 2017, lets some migrant workers work without a sponsor.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Ministry of Labour conciliation then the labour courts. LMRA administers work permits.
- Deadline — 1 year to bring a labour claim
- Deadline — 30 days' notice for indefinite contracts
Governing law
- Labour Law in the Private Sector, Law 36 of 2012
- Law 19 of 2006 on the Labour Market Regulatory Authority
- Flexi Permit scheme 2017
In practice
The Flexi Permit is the notable Bahraini innovation, allowing an irregular or unsponsored migrant worker to obtain a self-sponsored permit and work for multiple employers, which is the furthest departure from kafala attempted in the Gulf even though it was later restricted in scope. The 2012 Labour Law strengthened protection against arbitrary dismissal and provided compensation rather than reinstatement as the primary remedy. Bahrainisation quotas apply by sector through the LMRA. Domestic workers were brought partly within the 2012 law, which is more than most neighbours did, though key protections still do not extend to them.