Bahraini expatriates to get equal rights

Bahrain will become next month the first GCC state to give foreign workers the same employment rights as its own citizens.

Under the new law, which takes effect on Aug 1, expatriates will have the freedom to move between jobs and to leave employment without the fear of arrest or deportation.
“We already have the best trained workforce in the Gulf, but by levelling the playing field, and providing incentives to companies to hire Bahrainis, our aim is to improve our competitive edge,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa al Khalifa, the chief executive of the country’s Economic Development Board (EDB).

As local oil resources have dwindled in recent years, the island’s rulers have worked hard to diversify the local economy. Heavy industry and manufacturing have grown steadily, while financial services now provide 27 per cent of GDP.