Expatriate Employee Transfer to New Job/Company in Bahrain

Changing Job in Bahrain legally allowed to all foreigners working in Bahrain but they need to follow rules, laws, and conditions in order to transfer from current employer to new employer in Bahrain. LMRA called this term as Mobility means to transfer to new employer locally in Bahrain. The laws which govern “Local transfer to New employer in Bahrain” are situated in Act no. 19 of 2006 in the article of no.35. The laws also give provisions regarding those employees who want to transfer to a new employer without permission of the current employer.

Here are the Rules, Conditions, and Procedure through which expat in Bahrain could transfer to the new employee without canceling their current work permits.

General Conditions:

Here the general conditions mean that it is not specific whether to get permission from the current employer or not.

1. The employee could only transfer if his work permit is valid for 3 months.
2. The transfer must be done according to provisions given in Act no 91 of 2006.
3. If an employee is transferring without permission of current employer than he/she must complete at least 1-year service (12 months) with a current employer.
4. After transferring of employee the old employer is given with credit of the remaining period of work permit.
5. If an employee is given with permission of current employer to transfer to a new employer than transfer will be instant, the employee doesn’t need to complete 12 months.
6. Expats with expired work permits will not be allowed to transfer they need to apply for a new work permit in Bahrain. They need to apply for TRANSFER INTENTION before 30 days of visa permit expiry.
7. If the work permits are terminated or canceled, the employee needs to make a new one or apply transfer intention within 5 days of permit cancellation.
8. Transfer intention Application can be applied at LMRA large building in ground floor located at Sanabis, Manama.

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Procedure:

1. The new employer or future employer needs to apply for transfer online using Lmra Electronic Management system. He needs to fill the electronic Transfer Application form. Below are the documents he needs to submit with application:
2. Passport Copy of worker/employee with all pages including personal information, for Pakistani and Indian citizens the page in which the names of mother, father, husband, the wife is mentioned also must be attached. The Passport Must be valid for at least six months or a maximum of 2 years.
3.  Copy of worker/employee CPR, Copy offer letter/contract between the new employer and worker(1 or 2 pages). Enclosed in official gov or company letterhead. The letter must include the name of a new employer and worker/employee, nationality, profession(job role), passport no., employment details, salary, notice periods(probation etc). This letter must be signed by both parties and stamped from the employer. The offer letter is crucial for a successful employment visa.
4. If foreign worker/employee has a family(dependents) living in Bahrain than provide their copy of passport, CPR cards.
5. For some professionals, the NOC/approval letter is a must from relevant authority. Which is must be approved recently no more the 6 months old. These Profession Includes:
6. Engineers: They need approval from the Ministry of Works – Committee for the organization of engineering practices.
7. Manager of Banking and insurance companies: they need approval from Central Bank of Bahrain – CBB
8. Mosques and “Ma’atams / Husainneyas” Approval from the Ministry of Justice and endowments “Awqaf”
9. Medical professionals: approval from the Ministry of Health.
   Education sector professions in the private sector: Needs Approval from the Ministry of Education.

In case if an employee is transferring without permission(consent) of a current employer than in Addition to Above procedure/requirements you also need:

An employee need To submit letter resignation and notice period as per labor law and Bahrain employment law to current employer.

As well as registered mail Pink Card called notification card, resignation slip, notice period letter to the current/old employer official address(registered in the chamber of commerce)

Do not send them to P.o box or other mailing address.

NOTICE PERIOD: It is a period in which employee notify its current employer than after How much days I will leave the company. According to bahrain labour laws notice must be send before 30 minimum or 90 maximum days before actual date of leaving the company or current employer.

In case the notice period is less than 90 days than your new employer also need it to upload it at EMS system.

Well this is it the procedure officially described by Lmra. keep in mind to transfer to new employer without permission of current employer, employee must need to complete 12 month with old employer after that he/she could resign from company by giving notice period. In case if old employer gives permission than you don’t need to complete 12 months for transfer. I’ll explain some more steps related to transfer of job with or without consent of current employer in next few days. Until than must like Bahrain expat facebook page to keep in touch with latest updates.