Bahrain · Employment Compliance
Mandatory contracts, payroll and social-insurance registration, and the official labor authority.
AI-drafted, editorial review pending. The official links below are checked — confirm specifics with the authority.
Employers hire expatriates through LMRA work permits, pay the permit fees and monthly levies, and must meet the Bahrainisation target set for their sector. Employees are registered with the Social Insurance Organization; for non-Bahrainis the employer alone pays the end-of-service contribution of 4.2% of wages for the first three years and 8.4% thereafter. Wages are paid through the Wage Protection System, and the Labour Law sets minimum leave of 30 days a year after a year of service. Work-permit fees and levies rise in steps from 2026 to 2029.
- Expatriate hires need LMRA work permits and count against sector Bahrainisation targets.
- End-of-service for non-Bahrainis: 4.2% then 8.4% of wages, paid by the employer to the SIO.
- Wages go through the Wage Protection System.
- Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)
Labour Market Regulatory Authority: work permits for expatriate employees.
- Social Insurance Organization — End of Service Benefit
Social Insurance Organization: contributions and the end-of-service benefit for non-Bahrainis.
Government portals
- Bahrain National Portal — Government services and guidance, including the emergency call centre.
- Sijilat — Commercial Registration — Ministry of Industry and Commerce portal for registering and renewing a commercial registration.
- Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) — Work permits, transfers between employers and Bahrainisation target rates.
- National Bureau for Revenue (NBR) — VAT, excise and the domestic minimum top-up tax.