Workers' Rights
Labour Law protections covering wages, working hours, leave, termination, workplace safety, and Bahrainisation requirements under Bahrain national law.
Covered in this guide:
Your job in Bahrain is governed by Law No. 36 of 2012 (Labour Law), with work permits managed independently of employers by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) — you can switch jobs without sponsor consent. Standard hours are 8 a day, 48 a week, dropping to 6 during Ramadan; overtime pays 125% (150% nights/holidays). After one year you get 30 days' annual leave. Bahrain is the only Gulf state with unemployment insurance via the SIO. A summer outdoor work ban runs midday in July-August. Disputes go through Ministry of Labour conciliation before the courts.
Key Laws
Law No. 36 of 2012
Labour Law for the Private Sector
Core employment protections — contracts, wages, hours, leave, termination
Social Insurance Law
Law No. 24 of 1976 (as amended)
Pension, disability, unemployment, and workplace injury insurance via SIO
LMRA Law
Law No. 19 of 2006
Labour Market Regulatory Authority — work permits, employer transfers, and labour mobility
Trade Unions Law
Law No. 33 of 2002
Right to form and join trade unions
Ministerial Order No. 3 of 2013
Summer Outdoor Work Ban
Prohibition of outdoor work during peak heat hours in July-August
Minimum Wage & Wage Protection (WPS 2.0)
Bahrain does not set a universal statutory minimum wage covering all workers in the private sector. What exists instead is a BHD 300 per month minimum for Bahraini nationals in private-sector roles, l...
Working Hours and Overtime
Bahrain's Labour Law sets clear limits on working time, with specific protections that reflect the country's climate and religious calendar:Maximum 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week (excluding brea...
Annual Leave and Public Holidays
Bahrain's Labour Law provides generous paid leave by Gulf standards, and the SIO unemployment safety net makes leave disputes lower-stakes than in neighbouring countries:Annual leave: At least 30 cale...
End-of-Service Indemnity (SIO Monthly Contribution System)
On 1 March 2024, Bahrain overhauled end-of-service gratuity for expatriate private-sector workers. Under Resolution No. 109/2023, gratuity is no longer paid as a lump sum by the employer at terminatio...
Workplace Safety and Heat Ban
Bahrain enforces one of the Gulf's strictest summer outdoor work bans and backs workplace safety with SIO-administered injury insurance:Outdoor work ban: From 1 July to 31 August, all outdoor and open...
Termination and Notice Period
Bahrain's termination rules are more worker-friendly than most Gulf states, partly because the LMRA's employer-transfer system means losing a job does not automatically mean losing your right to stay...
Kafala, LMRA & Employer Transfer
Bahrain was the first GCC state to formally reform kafala — it did so in 2009. Since August 2009, it is the LMRA (not the individual employer) that is the legal sponsor of a migrant worker's work perm...
Domestic Worker Rights
Bahrain is the only GCC state to include domestic workers within the main private-sector labour law framework. Labour Law No. 36 of 2012 covers domestic workers directly — unlike Kuwait, the UAE, Qata...
Exit Permit & Travel Ban
Bahrain has no employer-controlled exit permit system. This is the single most important distinction from Kuwait (which introduced a digital employer exit-permit rule in July 2025) and from pre-reform...
LMRA Self-Sponsored Work Permits — Flexi Permit History & Flexible Work Permit
Terminology warning: The phrase 'Flexi Permit' is used colloquially for at least two distinct LMRA products that are in different legal states. Treating them as the same product will lead to either a...
Bahrainisation and Equal Opportunity
Bahrain's national employment strategy combines hiring quotas with substantial government support through Tamkeen, the Labour Fund created in 2006 to bridge the gap between national workforce skills a...
Maternity and Parental Leave
Bahrain's maternity protections are backed by the SIO social insurance system, which means benefits continue even if a worker changes employers during pregnancy:Maternity leave: Female employees are e...