MPs push to replace expats with Bahrainis in low-skilled jobs within five years

TDT | Manama
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MPs push to replace expats with Bahrainis in low-skilled jobs within five years
• BCCI warns rigid phase-out deadline will risk unsettling Kingdom’s job market
• Union federations argue proposal will end worsening joblessness woes among locals

A plan to phase out expatriates from low-skilled jobs and replace them with Bahrainis within five years will go before Parliament on Tuesday.

MPs behind the proposal, along with trade unions, argue it is a long-overdue step to give locals a fairer share of the job market.

Disarray
The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), however, warns it risks throwing the labour market into disarray.

MPs Lulwah Al Rumaihi and Muneer Seroor have called for the government to log all jobs in both public and private sectors that do not require a university degree and to ensure that where a Bahraini is available, they take priority over an expatriate worker.

“The government must take stock of all jobs held by expatriates that do not require university degrees and set a plan to replace them with Bahrainis where possible within five years,” said Al Rumaihi.

Policy
The Civil Service Bureau, which oversees recruitment in government roles, confirmed that its standing policy is to hire Bahraini candidates first. Only if no qualified local is available does an expatriate get the role, and even then, contracts are not renewed unless the shortage persists.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) responded that the matter falls outside its legal jurisdiction.

Proposal
Acting Labour Minister and LMRA chairman, His Excellency Yousif Khalaf, said the proposal focuses on employment and replacement planning across both sectors — issues that lie beyond the authority’s remit.

He explained that the LMRA’s role is limited to regulating work permits, recruitment agencies, and compliance monitoring.

The BCCI has warned that the proposal could do more harm than good.

“It said a roadmap for job creation had already been drawn up with input from the government, Parliament, and the Shura Council. A rigid five-year deadline, it argued, risks unsettling the job market.”

“Long-term planning is what’s needed, not rushed fixes,” the Chamber said.

Struggle
The Chamber also warned that some sectors — particularly those reliant on low-wage workers — may struggle to attract enough Bahrainis to fill these roles.

The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions has welcomed the plan, saying that expatriates have crowded out Bahrainis in non-specialised roles for too long, worsening joblessness among locals.

It has urged the government to introduce quotas, penalise companies that fail to hire Bahrainis, and deny licences to businesses that do not meet localisation targets.

Concerns
The Bahrain Free Labour Unions Federation has echoed these concerns, arguing that the plan would help prevent the sidelining of Bahraini workers.

The proposal has the backing of Parliament’s joint committee on legislative and legal affairs and services, chaired by MP Jalila Alawi Sayed Hassan.

The committee has urged MPs to vote in favour, describing the five-year phase-out as a reasonable step towards adjusting the balance in the job market.