TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Reported by Ashen Taraka
A proposal recently tabled in the House of Representatives by Bahraini lawmakers may give the impression that they are hell-bent on driving expatriates out of the kingdom.
But the MP who leads the coalition that drafted most of these proposals assured foreign residents that they would still be welcome.
The proposals have sparked a heated debate on social media as they could affect the jobs and lives of foreign workers in the Kingdom.
The Daily Tribune contacted MP Ahmed Sabah Al Salloum, who leads a group of MPs in the House of Representatives called the Strategic Thinking Bloc (STB), to speak about the recent proposals.
Citizens First
According to the STB, most proposals are made in favour of nationals and will not negatively impact foreign residents, who make significant contributions to the national economy.
The STB aims to provide strategic recommendations for pro-people legislation by 2026.
“No one is against expatriates. Bahrain continues to be a welcome place to live and work, but it is our job to put the interests of our people first,” Al Salloum MP told the Daily Tribune.
Highlighting the STB’s work in the labour market, Al Salloum said the board was working with the Ministry of Labour to explore further legislation that would make Bahrainis the first choice for employment and a driver of growth.
“There is still work to be done,” he added. The STB is purely engaged in analyzing, researching, developing and drafting laws that take into account the welfare of the people, he explained.
To deliver greater results for the welfare of citizens in the coming years, he said, the STB is planning a number of strategic initiatives until the end of its four-year term in 2026. Al Salloum added: “Incentives, privileges, better deals in daily life, sources of income, revenues, jobs and anything that could improve living standards – all these are our top priorities.”
Foreign Driver’s License Regulations
As part of the STB’s agenda, the group recently proposed new legislation restricting foreigners from obtaining driver’s licenses unless they need them for their jobs, which it presented as a solution to traffic congestion caused by the high number of vehicles on the roads.
“This is a way to address the over-issuance of driver’s licenses and the number of vehicles on the roads,” Al-Saloum said. “Our aim is not to stop foreigners from obtaining driver’s licenses, but to prevent the process from getting even more unruly,” he asserted.
The driver’s license proposal is not the first, but is part of a series of bills related to the work and life of foreign workers in the country.
Previously, lawmakers unanimously approved a proposal to restrict foreigners from holding positions in six fields: health, aviation, law, accountancy, banking and education.
Another proposal was to double the fees charged to foreign employees in managerial, professional and supervisory positions.
Lawmakers even proposed suspending Bahrain Labour Fund (Tamkeen) support to companies wholly owned by foreigners.
Yet another proposal to impose a 2% tax on expatriates’ remittances abroad was approved by lawmakers despite strong opposition from the government.
Best Destinations
However, it is important to recognise the significant contributions of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.
According to labour market indicators, the number of foreign workers employed in Bahrain will exceed 609,000 by the second quarter of 2023.
This huge workforce has clearly boosted the national economy, especially in the real estate sector.
Bahrain’s success in attracting expatriate population is further highlighted by its ranking as the 9th largest expatriate destination globally and the number one in the Middle East and North Africa for 2023.
Member of Parliament Ahmed Sabah Al Salloum
