http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10143007.html
07/30/2007 11:49 PM | By Suad Hamada, Special to Gulf News
Manama: Domestic help will be included in the six-month amnesty for expatriates starting Wednesday, the Labour Minister said yesterday.
Although all violators of residency regulations would be allowed to correct their situations, expatriates in detention centres and criminal offenders would not be included, the minister clarified.
Dr Majid Bin Mohsen Al Alawi told a press conference at the Labour Market Reforms Authority (LMRA) that the amnesty would be a good chance to clean the labour market and regularise the stay of many expatriate workers.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10143007.html
07/30/2007 11:49 PM | By Suad Hamada, Special to Gulf News
Manama: Domestic help will be included in the six-month amnesty for expatriates starting Wednesday, the Labour Minister said yesterday.
Although all violators of residency regulations would be allowed to correct their situations, expatriates in detention centres and criminal offenders would not be included, the minister clarified.
Dr Majid Bin Mohsen Al Alawi told a press conference at the Labour Market Reforms Authority (LMRA) that the amnesty would be a good chance to clean the labour market and regularise the stay of many expatriate workers.
He said those with visit visas who overstayed in Bahrain would not face any penalty or fine and would be allowed to go to their countries.
“The amnesty will promote local transfers to correct the situations of many expatriates.”
Nationalisation
According to labour statistics, only 5,000 expatriates benefitted from the 2002 amnesty by turning themselves in to the authority for deportation or processing for local transfer, but the number is expected to be much higher because of the soon to be introduced labour market reforms that impose many restrictions on companies hiring expatriates, such as imposing monthly and annual fees for each non-Bahraini worker.
The new regulations are to promote the employment of locals. The number of runaway and free-visa workers is estimated at 30,000 and 40,000.
The amnesty will be supervised by LMRA and benefit those who have been struggling to go to their countries and could not out of fear of penalties and fines, the minister said.
He highlighted that the irregular migrants would be able to renew their passports, transfer to another sponsors or leave Bahrain without facing any problem.
“I’m optimistic of the results as all companies want to correct their situations before the full implementation of the labour market reforms, starting January 1.”
Suad Hamada is a journalist based in Manama.