Bahrain · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
AI-drafted, editorial review pending. The official links below are checked — confirm specifics with the authority.
Expatriate employees work on a work permit that the employer applies for through the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA); the permit ties residence to the job, and the employer pays the permit fee and a monthly levy. A worker can move to another employer through the LMRA's transfer procedure. For longer-term stays without a sponsoring employer, the Golden Residency gives a renewable ten-year permit: routes include five years of work in Bahrain at an average salary above BHD 2,000 a month, property worth at least BHD 130,000 (lowered from BHD 200,000 in November 2025), and qualifying retirees.
- The employer applies for the work permit through the LMRA and pays its fees and monthly levy.
- Golden Residency: ten years, renewable; property route from BHD 130,000 since November 2025.
- Work-permit fees and levies rise in steps from 2026 to 2029.
- LMRA — New Work Permit
Labour Market Regulatory Authority: work permits for expatriate employees.
- LMRA — Expatriate Employee services
LMRA services for expatriate employees, including transfer to another employer.
- Bahrain National Portal
National Portal: government services and guidance.
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.