Visit visa jobs ‘serious threat’ to Bahrain’s labour sector

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Illegal employment of expatriates, who arrive in Bahrain on visit visas, is posing a serious threat to the Kingdom’s labour sector, it emerged. A number of illegal expatriate workers were arrested for violating the Bahrain’s labour rules amidst the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) along with Nationality, Passport and Residence Affairs (NPRA) intensifying its campaign against undocumented workers.

Many illegal workers arrested as part of the crackdown, now face deportation proceedings. These arrested individuals were found to have committed many violations related to the provisions of the LMRA and Residency laws in Bahrain. According to NPRA official Talal Taqi, the crackdown will be intensified in the coming days as part of efforts to keep the labour and immigration sector safe from the violators.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, a source closely associated with the tours and travels sector said a large number of violators of labour rules in the Kingdom are those who have arrived under ‘one-year multiple entry visa’. “The one-year multiple entry visa can be obtained by an applicant staying outside Bahrain.

The visa costs BD16 for one month and its validity is 90 days, which could be extended up to one year by exiting the country once in three months. “Many violators would arrive in Bahrain under this visa and approach potential employers, mainly small-scale business owners, who employ them after considering it to be a less expensive option compared to the legal LMRA channel.”

He said these small-scale business owners are now paying high prices for committing this illegal act after their workers were detained for taking up illegal employment. Under the rules mentioned for this specific type of visa applicants, taking up paid or unpaid employment is absolutely illegal.

The applicants should also have BD300 with them upon entry in Bahrain to meet their expenses. The source said that there are many agents in South Asian countries including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who “trick on innocent, uneducated clients” into believing that they are buying a job visa having legal authenticity to work under any employer in Bahrain. Many vulnerable youngsters from South Asian countries, who are potential jobseekers in Bahrain, are increasingly falling victim to visa fraudsters.

The Daily Tribune has learnt that under the pretext of handing over employment visas “visit visas are sold to many youngsters taking amounts ranging between BD700 and BD1,200 from them”. Social workers say that the majority of victims only realise the fraudulent act after reaching Bahrain on a visit visa.

“However, after falling victim to the scammers they have no other option other than returning home or continuing their stay in Bahrain as an illegal resident.” Majority of the victims are unskilled workers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“Almost all South Asian cities are flooded with fake recruitment agents, who offer visit visas in the name of employment visas to innocent unskilled workers, who pay them huge amounts in their currencies. This is operated by a big racket across South Asian cities.” Speaking to The Daily Tribune, social worker Gangan Trikaripur said majority of the victims are unskilled workers belonging to the hospitality and construction sector.

“Owing to poor financial situations mainly caused by the pandemic, many expatriates are trying to obtain jobs in Gulf countries including Bahrain. They get in touch with many fake recruitment agents through social media platforms and are conned out of money.” “Among the victims there are a large number of women expatriates as well.

They are lured into the trap by offering jobs in the hospitality industry. I know an expat woman, who was offered a week’s visit visa in the name of employment visa. She was later rescued and sent home.”