Bahrain Work Visa Procedure and Fees

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Bahrain - Labor Market Regulatory Authority

Bahrain was once a British protectorate but gained independence in 1971. That’s one of the reasons why British Nationals do not require a visa and can stay in Bahrain for up to one to one month. Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates federation in 1971 but became an independent state again in 1981. In 2002, Bahrain signed a free trade agreement with the European Union, and in 2006, it joined the World Trade Organization.

Bahrain is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council and hosts the headquarters of the GCC. Bahrain is also a member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Bahrain is a major tourist destination, especially among Pakistani tourists. Many Pakistani expats live there, and many Pakistani families visit Bahrain every year. Bahrain is one of the richest countries in the Middle East and attracts many businesses and workers because of its liberal business environment, cheap labor costs, and well-developed infrastructure. Bahrain has been ranked as the world’s third safest country for expatriates.

Who Can Sponsor?

Expats must be sponsored by their employers or Bahraini citizens to obtain a two-year work visa in the country. The number of company-sponsored visas is determined by the size of its physical office and the company’s available quota for foreign employees, as determined by Bahraini regulations.

The Bahrain Labor Market Regulation (LMRA) issues work visas to emigrants before their arrival. The work card, which will be given to you on arrival, will serve as proof of identity and must always be carried with the expat.

The sponsoring company must also document the employment contracts of third parties and prove that the position requires foreign expertise.

Sponsoring Procedure to Hire from Pakistan

If you are a Bahraini employer and want to hire a workforce from Pakistan, you must follow the procedure below:

Log in with your credentials to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) website’s Expatriate Management System (EMS.)
LMRA Contact Number: 17506055
Phone Service Hours: 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM.

The website allows the employer or the authorized person for any establishment to do transactions such as: applying for new work permits, work permit renewal, change of expatriate occupation, and all LMRA transactions related to the employer.

Needed Documents

Once logged in you will need to submit the following required documents for the expats you want to hire:

The details can also be verified from: https://lmra.bh/portal/en/page/show/106

1- Copy of employee’s passport:

· The passport should have all the information and alterations or updates as well as the page that states the father or spouse’s name (for Indian, Pakistani and Bengali nationalities) and the page that contains the old passport number. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months, but it is highly recommended to have it valid for at least 2 years before applying.

2- Copy of valid license from the competent authority for non-commercial institutions and non-governmental organizations.

3- Copy of the latest paid electricity bill for the private sector:

· If a new CR is not yet billed, you need to upload a print-out from the electricity and water authority showing that the account had been opened or transferred to that specific CR.

·If electricity is not your responsibility (for example shops in Malls, or electricity paid by the landlord), you will need to upload a proof, like a lease contract.

· The bill should not be older than 2 months.

· Supply address in the bill must match the CR’s address.

· It should not be a final notification to cut the electricity supply.

· Current account guarantee deposit bonds are not accepted.

4- Copy of employee ID card, if available.

5- Copy of offer letter or work contract template between the employer and the foreign employee (one or two pages max):

· The letter should be on the company’s letterhead or a government official paper.

· It must include the name of the employer and the establishment address, the name of the foreign employee, passport number, nationality, job role (occupation) of the employee, salary, employment, and notice periods.

· It should be signed by the employer and the employee and (should bear the seal/ stamp of the employer on the company letterhead).

· It should state that the offer is subject to the successful application of the work permit.

6- Copy of medical check-up report for the foreign employee, done in his/her home or current residence country (or the nearest place to it) showing that he/she is fit to work:

· The report or certificate should not be older than three months from the issue date.

· It must be issued by one of the centers accredited by the Ministry of Health as published on LMRA’s website “ Authorized Health Centers”.

· In the absence of an accredited center in the residential city or country of the foreign employee, a Non-GAMCA medical checkup form on LMRA’s website must be filled out and stamped from any official medical center.

· Certificate of medical examination is not required if the employee is already in Bahrain except for Ethiopian & Eritrean nationalities.

· Medical check-up is not required for dependents.

7- A copy of RP is required if the employee works in any of GCC or non-home country.

8- Copy of intention to transfer form (terminated Work Permit) from LMRA website:

· From Intention to transfer form (terminated Work Permit) for All in Bahrain with a terminated Work permit.

9- Original Bangladesh Embassy Certificate:

· Bangladesh embassy certificate for all out of Bahrain Bangladeshi Employees valid for 6 months from issue date.

10- Copy of approval letter/ no-objection certificate from the relevant authority for certain specialized occupations.

11- Copy of extending the cancellation period of residence receipt issued from NPRA (Grace period).

Important Notes:

· In the case of an expat having a multiple entry permit, this permit must be canceled before applying (whether the expat is in Bahrain or Abroad).

· The employer must process the deportation of the foreign employee immediately if the employee had failed to pass the required medical examination.

· In case the employee is in Bahrain and the employer wants to employ him, a passport copy should be attached with the application and should be the same as the passport that he entered the kingdom with (especially for people with more than one nationality).

· If the employee was in Bahrain previously and was issued a personal number, the same number must be used to apply for him/ her again when filling in the application form.

Work Permit Fees

Payment Methods: Cash, Credit Card, Debit Card

344 dinars for two years inclusive of work permit and health insurance fees.

172 dinars for one year inclusive of work permit and health insurance fees.

86 dinars for 6 months inclusive of work permit and health insurance fees.

5 dinars administrative fees for any transaction submitted in the LMRA system.

KashmirOverseas is one of the leading providers of Pakistani Expatriates to Bahrain. You may contact us for any requirement from Pakistan.

You may also be interested in the following pages with regards to Bahrain.

The Leading Recruitment Agency for Bahrain in Pakistan

Hiring Manpower from Pakistan for Bahrain – Work Visa/Work Permit Requirements