Bahrainisation driving black market visas: contractor

The Bahrain government has reduced the requirements of Bahrainis from 8% to 5%.

Bahrain’s government has reduced the Bahrainisation target for major construction companies from 8% to 5%, but industry groups say they want it completely abolished.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority announced on Sunday that companies with more than 500 workers will now only have to have 5% Bahraini workers.

This follows appeals from the construction sector against the Bahrainisation policy because of a shortage of Bahraini construction workers.

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President of the Bahrain Contractors Association, Needam Kameski, said the reduction is welcomed, but any form of Bahrainisation imposed on the sector will fuel the black market for illegal visa workers.

“When big contractors take a new job that needs 500 people, they don’t want to apply for 500 work permits because then Bahrainisation and all the other fees will be imposed,” he said.

“So what is happening is big contractors are going to smaller legal contractors and offering workers 30 or 40 dinar more to work for them.

“Or they buy a visa from another company, probably not even in construction, and pay up to BHD 1800 (US $4775).”

Kameski said a free labour market without Bahrainisation would reduce the huge number of illegal visa workers, encourage Bahrainis to work and greatly reduce the costs for honest contractors.

“I’m a contractor who has been in the business 61 years and 100% of my workers are legal,” he said.

“But when I go for a bid, I put in my offer against a competitor with 90% free visas who has none of the extra costs and he gets the job.

“That’s what we have been complaining about for years and years.”

The BCA is also pressuring the government to remove a monthly fee paid by the contractor of $26.50 per worker as well as a $530 fee per worker every two years; costs they claim are also driving the demand for illegal visa workers.