Era of sponsorship ends in Bahrain

Bahrain on Saturday became the first Gulf state to abolish controversial labour laws that restrict the free movement of workers amid praise from rights groups and criticism from local industry.

The government now takes over responsibility for the sponsorship of hundreds of thousands of expatriates in the Gulf island kingdom previously held by foreign workers’ employers.

Gulf states operate a system where employees' work visas are issued through their employer. The sponsorship system has been criticised for giving employers too much power over workers and leaving them open to abuse and exploitation.