Parliament Backs Ban on Housemaids Switching to Commercial Jobs

TDT | Manama

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A proposal to prevent housemaids from taking jobs outside household service passed through Parliament on Tuesday, following a debate that drew warnings from business leaders and a cautious response from the labour regulator.

The amendment, which changes Clause (A) of Article 25 of the 2006 Labour Market Regulation Law, limits the movement of housemaids to within domestic service only. Under the new wording, a housemaid must either stay in a private household, move to another, or leave the country. Switching to a commercial job is not allowed while the permit is active.

The added sentence reads: ‘The right of transfer shall be limited to housemaids under the terms of this permit only.’

MP Maryam Al Sayegh, who brought the proposal forward, said it would protect families who hire domestic workers through recruitment offices. ‘A citizen who brings in a housemaid through an agency could be left out of pocket if that worker suddenly switches to a commercial job,’ she said. ‘This change ensures housemaids stay in household roles, where they are most needed, and helps maintain a clear division in the job market.’

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority, in its written remarks to the Services Committee, said that the proposal largely repeats the current position. It explained that housemaids are already barred from switching jobs mid-contract, as their place of work is also their place of residence. This makes standard employment procedures harder to apply.

‘The proposed wording would simply reaffirm what is already the case,’ the regulator said. ‘Housemaids cannot change jobs during the permit’s validity. Once the permit ends, they may re-enter the labour market under a new contract, should both parties agree.’

The authority referred to a 2009 decision, Resolution No. 79, which outlines the process for foreign workers changing employers. It noted that these steps, such as issuing written notice and observing a notice period, do not work well in homes where employer and worker live at the same address.

Once the permit expires or is cancelled, the worker may apply for a new one. This, the regulator stressed, is treated as a fresh application and does not fall under the same rules as a job transfer.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry voiced concern over the change. Its chairman, Sameer Abdulla Nass, warned that blocking one group of workers from switching roles while others remain free to do so could lead to unequal treatment. ‘The current wording gives enough room for the labour market to work,’ he said. ‘Tightening it now risks upsetting that balance.’

He added that Parliament should focus on broader updates to the law based on joint proposals developed with the Shura Council and the Chamber itself.