MP pushes for more regulations on ‘recruitment prices’

A parliamentarian is demanding to amend a law, aiming to impose more specific regulations on the domestic employment sector.

MP Abdulrahman Buali is calling for employing more authorities at the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to control “recruitment prices” set by employment and manpower agencies in the country.

Buali said, “LMRA should be given the jurisdictions of setting domestic workers’ recruitment prices,” adding that, “the amendments come to fill a legislative gap in regards to prices and prevent manipulation of prices.”

“Prices are now set by the recruitment agencies. Some of these agencies manipulate with the prices of recruiting domestic workers according to their nationalities. Additionally, citizens have to bear the cost of the visa, issuance of identity cards and medical check-ups. We must have specific regulations to control recruitment costs,” Buali explained.

He also said that more power to the authority to curb the existing randomness of domestic employment recruitment prices and introducing unified prices, would result in several positive outcomes that would improve this vital sector.

He explained further, “This would create an atmosphere of fair competition between recruitment agencies and will allow them to make reasonable profits. It would also prevent increasing such costs on the pretext that agencies at the exporting countries are changing their standards and conditions. This amendment would enable LMRA to directly monitor any changes of recruitment terms and conditions.”

Buali added that “LMRA should handle the domestic workers affairs from A to Z,” adding controlling the recruitment prices should be done in coordination with Bahrain Chamber for Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and a representative of recruitment agencies.