Advertising job vacancies provide Bahrainis more options: Minister

TDT | Manama

Announcing job vacancies in local newspapers will boost opportunities for Bahraini job seekers, said Jameel Humaidan, the Minister of Labour and Social development. “The priority is for employing Bahraini people and not for issuing work permits,” said the minister.

The move also brings fair and equal competition in the labour market and transparency, as the citizens will get acquainted about the opportunities available in the private sector. The decision also falls in line with the directives of the Coordination Committee headed by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

Explaining the minister said, the new mechanism requiring to advertise vacancies after applying for a work permit with the labour market regulatory authority is for providing more job opportunities for citizens. “This also allows the ministry to fill the vacancies with local people even before employers apply to recruit workers from abroad.”

The system allows employers to advertise and manage the vacancies themselves on the portal, and job seekers to find a suitable vacancy and nominate themselves. However, in the event, the employer wants to apply for a work permit, LMRA will, as a new additional procedure, will advertise the vacancies at the expense of the employer.

An employer is allowed to apply for a work permit after announcing the vacancies for Bahrainis to occupy. Humaidan said the ministry has completed all formalities for LMRA to participate in the project. The ministry, Humaidan said, is updating, daily, the data of employers with a marketing team in place to communicate with employers. “The ministry is also offering wage and training support to employers who offer to employ Bahrainis,” the minister added.