Growing concerns over wage fraud luring foreign workers to Bahrain

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Employees were enticed to Bahrain with fictitious promises of a salary and a visa, only to return dejected. This is just another case of pay fraud that has come to light. The business allegedly employed the workers under a different company name and told them that their visas would be updated after three months.

These migrant employees were initially promised BD120 by the company, but a system check indicates that their basic income is actually only BD50. The Daily Tribune was informed by employees who wanted to remain anonymous that they were now having trouble covering their expenses.

They complained about the business to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), but the system showed that their visa was invalid.

"LMRA instructed us to go to the police station and make a complaint as it is a criminal case because the sponsor’s name is not listed. We don’t have the relevant document or the salary." The victims are presently seeking work in an effort to change their visa status and start earning since they have families to support.

Meanwhile, reports estimate that there are 24 million migrant workers in the Gulf countries, constituting 83.3 per cent of the total workforce.

According to a report posted on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, 16,532 requests to resolve conflicts between employees and employers were made over the course of the previous three years. It also indicated that 50.3% of these disagreements were resolved amicably.