MP to Discuss Acting Labour Minister on Unemployment Figures in Upcoming Session
TDT | Manama
Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com
The upcoming session of the Bahraini House of Representatives will see Acting Minister of Legal Affairs and Labour, Yousif bin Abdulhussain Khalaf, face questions from MP Abdulwahed Qarata regarding unemployment in the Kingdom.
Mr Qarata's inquiry includes five key areas: the current unemployment rate and the methodology used to calculate it; a classification of registered unemployed individuals based on their qualifications or desired specialisations; an assessment of the correlation between the number of registered unemployed Bahraini citizens and the reduction of permits issued to expatriate workers; the Ministry's plan to limit permits issued to expatriate workers or foreign business owners based on unemployment rate fluctuations; and the results of any field studies conducted to assess the impact of the increasing number of individuals holding "registered worker" permits on the overall unemployment rate.
The Minister's written response highlighted the National Plan for Regulating the Labour Market (2023-2026), which aims to create quality job opportunities for Bahraini citizens, making them the preferred choice in the labour market.
This involves aligning education outputs with market needs, strengthening partnerships with the private sector, and attracting both local and foreign investment. The response also stressed increased oversight, regulation, and improvements to labour laws.
The Ministry clarified that the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), as mandated by the Labour Market Regulation Law, is responsible for collecting, analysing, and updating data and statistics related to Bahrain's economic situation, particularly the labour market.
The Ministry clarified that the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), as mandated by the Labour Market Regulation Law, is responsible for collecting, analysing, and updating data and statistics related to Bahrain's economic situation, particularly the labour market.
The Ministry stated that Bahrain, like all International Labour Organisation (ILO) member states, uses ILO standards to calculate unemployment rates. According to data from the Information & eGovernment Authority at the end of 2023, the unemployment rate stood at 6.3%, the Ministry pointed out.
The Ministry further detailed its ongoing efforts to encourage Bahraini job seekers to register with the Ministry, highlighting unemployment benefits of BD 150 for non-graduates and BD 200 for graduates (for up to 9 months), and compensation for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own (up to BD 1000 per month for 9 months, equivalent to 60% of their previous salary).
The Ministry also emphasised its collaboration with other government agencies in implementing government policies and initiatives aimed at making Bahrainis the preferred choice for employment.
The Ministry further detailed its ongoing efforts to encourage Bahraini job seekers to register with the Ministry, highlighting unemployment benefits of BD 150 for non-graduates and BD 200 for graduates (for up to 9 months), and compensation for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own (up to BD 1000 per month for 9 months, equivalent to 60% of their previous salary).
The Ministry also emphasised its collaboration with other government agencies in implementing government policies and initiatives aimed at making Bahrainis the preferred choice for employment.
"Key initiatives include the government's program for 2023-2026 and the economic recovery plan, which includes five main initiatives, most notably the creation of promising job opportunities for Bahrainis, aiming to employ 20,000 and train 10,000 job seekers annually," the response explained.
Related Posts