Foreign workers in Bahrain can now work temporarily for another employer for up to 90 days without transferring their existing work permit, under a regulatory change announced by the country’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
The reform allows businesses to hire eligible expatriates already working in Bahrain for short-term assignments.
Previously, such arrangements with a separate employer were not permitted under the applicable framework.The decision was issued on September 22 and announced by the LMRA on September 28. Immigration law firm Fragomen published an alert on October 6 outlining the implications for employers and foreign workers.
The change is aimed at giving businesses more flexibility to meet temporary staffing needs without having to recruit new workers from abroad. However, the arrangement is subject to approval by the LMRA, the employee’s written consent and agreement from both employers.
What has changed for foreign workers?
Under the revised rules, a foreign employee whose work permit is held by one employer can temporarily work for another employer for up to three months, provided the required conditions are met.
The worker must have a valid work permit throughout the arrangement. Both the existing employer and the other employer must agree to the temporary assignment, and the employee must provide written consent.
The application must be submitted through the LMRA’s Expat Management System (EMS), and the arrangement must be recorded in the authority’s official records.
The reform also allows an employer to deploy a foreign worker at another establishment owned by the same employer or affiliated with the same corporate group, subject to separate conditions. The other establishment must be registered appropriately and meet the applicable Bahrainisation requirements.
What has the Bahrain government said?
LMRA chief executive Nibras Talib said the change was intended to balance business growth and workforce flexibility with the government’s policy of prioritising Bahraini citizens in the labour market.
According to the authority’s September 28 announcement, Talib said the reform would give employers greater flexibility to deploy foreign workers at another establishment owned by the same company or affiliated with the same group, while maintaining the existing Bahrainisation requirements.
He also said that recording temporary assignments in the authority’s systems would improve monitoring, help curb irregular employment practices and strengthen protection for all parties.
The LMRA said the temporary arrangement would provide a defined period in which businesses could meet operational requirements without allowing short-term assignments to become unregulated employment.
Bahrain Chamber welcomes the change
Nabeel Kanoo, chairman of the Bahrain Chamber, welcomed the reform, saying it was a positive step towards developing the labour market framework in line with private-sector needs and changing business activities.
In a September 27 statement, Kanoo said the additional flexibility would help companies respond more effectively to operational requirements and make better use of workers already available in Bahrain.
He also said the mechanism could reduce the need for new recruitment procedures when businesses could meet staffing requirements through workers already in the country.
What does this mean for businesses and expatriates?For businesses, the reform provides a way to address short-term staffing requirements using foreign workers who are already legally employed in Bahrain.
For example, a company experiencing a temporary increase in workload may be able to engage an eligible worker employed by another business for a limited period, provided both employers and the worker agree and the LMRA approves the arrangement.
For expatriates, the change creates the possibility of taking up temporary assignments with another employer without immediately transferring their existing work permit.
However, workers cannot assume that they can move between employers freely: the assignment must meet the regulatory conditions, and the worker’s consent and the necessary approvals are required.
The reform also does not mean that an employee can work for a second employer indefinitely or outside the terms of the approved arrangement.