LMRA Reports 2,746 Labor Violations in 9 Months, 81% Referred to Public Prosecution

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) in Bahrain has reported a significant number of labour violations in the first nine months of 2024. A total of 2,746 violations were issued for foreign workers operating on "free visas" without the necessary permits. Of these, a substantial 2,238 cases (81%) have been referred to the Public Prosecution for legal action, while 508 individuals settled their cases by paying fines.

This data, provided to the Council of Representatives, is part of a larger three-year overview (2022-September 2024) showing 10,785 total violations related to unlicensed foreign workers. This figure includes 6,596 violations for working without permits and 4,189 violations for employing workers without permits or in breach of permit conditions. The number of violations has increased year-on-year.

Specifically, in 2022, 1,538 violations were issued for working without permits and 973 for illegal employment. In 2023, these figures rose to 3,428 and 2,100 respectively. From January to September 2024, 1,630 violations were issued for working without permits and 1,116 for illegal employment.

The LMRA also noted that only 5 out of 1,630 individuals who received violations in 2024 chose to settle.