Bahrain at a Glance

Working in Bahrain

The Financial Harbour in Bahrain is a preferred business location.

Expats working in Bahrain profit from employment in one of the prime business locations in the Middle East. Would you like to give your career a boost by working in Bahrain? Read our expat guide on working in Bahrain, covering relevant topics from health care to business etiquette.

With its strategic location in the Northern Persian Gulf, a good infrastructure and a highly educated and skilled workforce, Bahrain has a successful history of business in the region. The government has devised several strategies to make investing and working in Bahrain attractive to foreigners. Not only does it offer a liberal business environment and low operational costs to those working in Bahrain, but it also vies for 1^st place in the Middle East in terms of quality of life.

Working in Bahrain: Economic Overview

For a long time, Bahrain’s economy depended purely on oil. While oil is still the major driver behind Bahrain’s economy, there have been increased efforts to move away from this dependency. Today, people working in Bahrain form part of one of the most diverse economies in the region.

However, the industrial sector still accounts for about 57% of the GDP, employing nearly 80 % of those working in Bahrain. Declining oil reserves have shifted the emphasis towards petroleum-processing and oil-refining, with the production and export of aluminium following close behind. The construction and ship-repairing industries are also major employers of many residents working in Bahrain.

While the agricultural sector is virtually non-existent for obvious reasons, the services sector has started to play a major part. Bahrain has established itself as a center for Islamic banking and for finance in general. Nearly 200 international financial institutions and banks are represented in the country, responsible for a considerable share of expats working in Bahrain.

More and more companies offering business and professional services have started operations in Bahrain. A rise in international tourism is providing new employment opportunities for locals as well as foreigners working in Bahrain. Altogether, while employing only about 20% of all people working in Bahrain, the third sector accounts for over 42% of the GDP.

Working in Bahrain: The Expat Job Market

Bahrain is home to numerous multinational corporations doing business in the Gulf Region, who in turn account for the large numbers of expats working in Bahrain. However, foreigners interested in working in Bahrain are likely to face more difficulties now than a few years ago. The main reason for this development is that unemployment, especially among Bahrain’s youth, continues to be a major problem.

As a result, the government has introduced measures to discourage foreigners from working in Bahrain, mainly by reducing sponsorship opportunities and increasing the costs for employers to have expat staff working in Bahrain. Bahrain was the first Arab country to introduce a formal system of unemployment benefits.

Despite all this, Bahrain continues to attract foreign business and investment thanks to the strengths of the market detailed above. Foreign companies trying to get a foot in the door have good chances of succeeding in one of the following areas:

Financial services
Business services
Health care
Infrastructure
Education & skills
Manufacturing

Companies operating within these areas of business are most likely to offer employment opportunities for expats working in Bahrain.

Working in Bahrain: Getting a Job

You cannot work in Bahrain without a valid work visa, and you need a confirmed job offer in order to get a work visa. It is almost impossible to escape this circle, although foreigners interested in working in Bahrain can visit the country as tourists to check out the situation and establish contacts.

However, most expats working in Bahrain have either been recruited outside the country, normally by a headhunter or via an agency, or have been transferred by their company. Nearly all expatriates working in Bahrain are on a fixed-term contract. Casual or temporary work is not easy to find, but local recruitment agencies may be able to help spouses of expats already working in Bahrain.