18-04-2021

His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, stressed the importance of stimulating the national economy to create more quality job opportunities for citizens, as they are the first choice for employment. He highlighted the need for joint cooperation between the three production parties to achieve the government’s vision and aspirations to “create sustainable economic and social security” in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Humaidan said that the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) continues to support existing cooperation with relevant labour market entities, thereby fulfilling its role in supporting the stability and balance of the labour market, finding solutions that meet the needs of the national economy, and providing it with the flexibility that enhances its competitiveness and ability to adapt to various circumstances. In this context, the LMRA is working to implement a package of projects and procedures regulating the market, in coordination with representatives of the productive sectors, including business owners and employees. During his chairing of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority’s Board of Directors meeting via videoconferencing, Humaidan noted the executive management’s commitment to increasing efficiency, productivity, and advanced readiness for electronic employment systems, which has contributed to the continuation of its operational mechanisms with the same capacity and efficiency, despite the circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Directors approved the audited financial report for 2020 and the executive management’s annual report for the same year. It also reviewed the estimated budget for 2021, as well as the Authority’s future plans and projects. During the meeting, the Authority's annual performance report was reviewed, emphasising the efforts made to facilitate transactions and save time for customers, while expanding the use of technology and completing transactions electronically. Domestic workers were also addressed, and developments in the issue of leaving employment and the mechanism for controlling violators were identified. The Authority's awareness efforts were reviewed to encourage beneficiaries to deal with licensed employment offices and supply agencies to reduce negative phenomena in the labour market and guarantee their rights. In addition to cooperating with various government agencies, especially the Ministry of Interior, in implementing ongoing inspection campaigns to control and deport illegal workers. Among the most prominent projects implemented during the past year was the transfer of the Expatriate Workers Management System (EMS) and its digital infrastructure to the cloud computing network. The transfer process enables the Authority to provide unlimited response speeds and storage capacity for the system, which is the largest electronic data bank related to expatriate workers. A project was also implemented to advertise job vacancies in local newspapers for new work permit applications, a project to upgrade the system for collecting biometric data collected by security agencies, and an upgrade of the electronic link between the Authority’s system and the Information and eGovernment Authority to enable domestic employers to know the status of their work permits. One of the key initiatives currently being implemented by the Authority is the Wage Protection System, which aims to create a safe and transparent work environment for establishments regarding the extent to which they are committed to paying workers' wages and obligating employers to deposit their workers' wages into their bank accounts. The Authority works to document the payment of wages to workers in the private sector subject to the Labour Law in the Private Sector, on a regular and timely basis. This contributes to accelerating the settlement of wage-related labour disputes and reducing negative phenomena in the labour market, such as informal employment and fictitious establishments.