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Updated July 2024
Bahrain has a favorable business environment with unrestricted full foreign ownership in free trade zones and no corporate, personal, wealth or capital gains taxes. This liberal environment has helped make Bahrain one of the fastest growing economies in the world, resulting in abundant employment opportunities.
Anyone hoping to live and work in Bahrain must first understand how to obtain a Bahrain work visa and residence permit. Wego has compiled all the information you need to get a Bahrain work visa below.
Bahrain work visa
Bahrain work visa is a permit for foreign workers aged between 21 and 60 who have received a job offer from a Bahraini company. Work visas are submitted to and issued by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority. Employers or Bahraini nationals sponsor workers who wish to obtain a Bahrain work visa.
Additionally, the number of visas a company can sponsor depends on the physical size of its office and the foreign national quotas set by a country’s regulations.
It is worth noting that GCC nationals can enter the Kingdom of Bahrain without a visa.
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Documents required for Bahrain work visa
The Bahrain work visa application process is primarily handled by employers on behalf of employees. To log in and apply for a work permit, employers must have an Expatriate Management System (EMS). To apply for a Bahrain work visa, employers must submit the following documents:
Visa application form Employee’s passport (must be valid for at least 6 months from the visa issue date) Passport size photograph Sponsorship letter: Employment certificate stating employer’s name/organization, commercial registration number, employee’s capacity, salary, contract period, employee’s name, date of birth and nationality Copy of contract Medical examination report
Bahrain Work Visa Application Procedures
To obtain a Bahrain work visa, your employer must follow these steps:
Log in to the LMRA EMS system and begin the process of applying for a new work permit. Print your application confirmation. Check the status of your application by: Log in to the EMS system and using your application ID. Visit the Express Services section of the LMRA website using your application ID, or the foreigner’s passport number or personal number. Call the LMRA Contact Centre at +973 17506055 and provide the service agent with your application ID. After you receive approval for your new work permit, pay the fee through the EMS system or visit one of the accredited banks. Print your work permit from the EMS system. Take the printout to the immigration office and obtain your work permit sticker.
If you would like to know more about Bahrain residence permits, please see our dedicated article below:
Bahrain Residence Permit: Everything you need to know about Bahrain Residence Visa
Bahrain Work Visa Fees
The cost of a Bahrain work visa is:
Service fees: 1 year visa: BHD 172 2 year visa: BHD 344 Dependent fee: BHD 90 Administration fee: BHD 5
Bahrain work visa processing time
The typical processing time for a Bahrain work visa is 3-10 business days if the employee is already in Bahrain, and 18-25 business days if the employee is outside Bahrain. After employers pay the visa fee, they can print the work permit from LMRA’s Expat Management System (EMS) and send it to the employee for travel arrangements.
Bahrain work visa renewal
According to a recent report by Bahrain News Agency, Sheikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residency Affairs (NPRA) at the Ministry of Interior, has introduced a new service for the renewal of residence and work permits for foreigners currently outside Bahrain.
The rollout applies to foreign workers working in both the commercial and government sectors, including registered workers and domestic workers. The NPRA is working in coordination with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to provide this service.
Foreigners can access the service through the Bahrain National Portal for residence permit renewals, and for work permit renewals they can use either the Expatriates Management System or official LMRA channels.
Bahrain work visa validity
Bahrain work visa permits are valid for one to two years, depending on the sponsor, and grant employees residency rights in Bahrain.
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