Bahrain sees new work visas plunge 40 pct

New work visas issued in Bahrain fell almost 40 percent in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year, the local Gulf Daily News reported on Monday, citing figures from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).

The newspaper said the LMRA issued 27,665 new visas during the quarter, down 37.4 percent on a year ago and 32.6 percent lower than the previous quarter.

The construction sector made up the largest percent of new visas at 31 percent, followed by wholesale and retail trade (22 percent) and manufacturing (18 percent).

Gulf Daily News said the number of work visa renewals jumped 11 percent to 29,334 in Q2, compared to the previous quarter.

The number of employers applying to terminate work visas dropped 5.5 percent to 18,225 in Q2, compared to the previous quarter.END