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Written Agreements

It is mandatory to conclude an employment contract in writing. An employment contract must be made in Arabic, with 2 copies—1 for each party. If the contract is in another language, an Arabic version must be included. Any internal regulations mentioned in the contract must be attached and signed by both parties. Employment contracts must include the information on employer's and employee's identities, employee's qualifications, position, type of contract, wages, etc.

Employers can include a non-compete clause, applicable after termination, in the employment agreement of an employee whose job allows them to be acquainted with the employer’s customers or to have access to confidential business information. The clause restricts the employee from competing directly with the employer or participating in any project that is in competition with their previous employer. Such agreements can only be concluded with employees who are above 18 years of age. Restriction must not be placed for more than a year after the termination of the contract and must be limited in terms of place and type of work.

Oral Agreements

In Bahrain, it is mandatory to conclude an employment contract in writing. Without a written contract, the employee can prove their rights using any form of evidence. The Civil Law of Bahrain dictates that “a contract shall have no particular form; however, if the law stipulates a certain form to conclude a contract and such form was not complied with, it shall be void.”

Implied Agreements

In Bahrain, it is mandatory to conclude an employment contract in writing. Without a written contract, the employee can prove their rights using any form of evidence. The Civil Law of Bahrain dictates that “a contract shall have no particular form; however, if the law stipulates a certain form to conclude a contract and such form was not complied with, it shall be void.”

The standard work day is 8 hours, and employees cannot be employed for more than 48 hours a week. Muslim employees must not be employed for more than 6 hours a day or 36 hours a week during the month of Ramadan.

Employees must be provided with 1 or more breaks for praying, rest, or having meals for a total of not less than 30 minutes. Employees must not work for more than 6 continuous hours. The intervals of rest shall not be calculated as part of the actual working hours.

There is no obligation on employers to maintain an attendance record.

• January 1, Wednesday: New Year's Day
• April 10, Wednesday: Eid al-Fitr
• April 11, Thursday: Eid al-Fitr Holiday
• April 12, Friday: Eid al-Fitr Holiday
• May 1, Wednesday: Labour Day
• June 16, Sunday: Eid al-Adha
• June 17, Monday: Eid al-Adha Holiday
• June 18, Tuesday: Eid al-Adha Holiday
• July 7, Sunday: Islamic New Year
• July 15, Monday: Ashura
• July 16, Tuesday: Ashura
• September 15, Sunday: Prophet Muhammad's Birthday
• December 16, Monday: National Day
• December 17, Tuesday: National Day Holiday

Employees in Bahrain can be employed under a probationary period expressly provided for in their employment contracts, provided that it does not exceed 3 months. A probationary period can be increased to 6 months in certain types of jobs. Either party can terminate the employment contract during probation if it becomes evident that its continuance is inappropriate, provided that the party terminating the contract gives at least 1-day notice to the other party.

The probationary period shall not be recognized unless expressly provided for in the employment contract. No employee can be employed under probation more than once under the same employer.

Notice Period

Both employers and employees can terminate an employment contract by giving the other one a prior notice of 30 days. The notice period can be increased by an agreement between the employee and employer. Notice must be given in writing. If a contract is terminated without complying with the notice period, the party that terminates the contract shall pay to the other party compensation equivalent to the employee’s wage for the entire notice period or the remainder thereof, as the case may be. Employees can be terminated without notice in case of gross misconduct.

Employees are entitled to take a leave for 1 day per week or 8 hours intermittently during the week to look for another job. They shall be entitled to their wages for the duration of absence.

Severance Benefits

In Bahrain, permanent employees who have worked with the same employer for more than 3 months are entitled to severance pay worth 2 days’ wages for each month of service and at no less than 1 month’s wages and not exceeding 12 months’ wages.

Minimum Wage

In Bahrain, employees must be paid at least the minimum wage. The minimum wage for a Bahraini employee with a bachelor’s degree is BHD 450 (Bahraini dinars); for a diploma holder, it is BHD 380; and for a secondary school employee or less, it is BHD 300.

Employees’ wages are fixed according to their individual employment contract, collective employment contract, or the employment regulations in the establishment. An employee’s wage may be calculated by the hour, day, week, month, piece rate, or production.

Wages of employees paid at monthly rates shall be paid at least 1 time a month. In other cases, employees’ wages shall be paid 1 time a week at the most unless there is an agreement to the contrary. Employers are prohibited from transferring an employee employed on monthly terms of employment to daily, weekly, piece-work, or hourly rates without the written consent of the employee.

Overtime, Holiday & Vacation Pay

Employers in Bahrain can instruct their employees to work overtime if the business conditions require it. Employees working for more than the standard working hours in a day or week are entitled to overtime pay at the rate of 25% of their wages for extra hours worked during the day and 50% for extra hours worked during night time. Employees can be required to work on their weekly rest days or public holidays, in which case they must be paid their wages for the day and an overtime wage equivalent to 150% of such wage or shall be given another day off in lieu thereof.

Visas

Bahrain issues the following types of visas:

• Visit visa – This visa is issued/extended to expatriate visitors who have relatives in the Kingdom of Bahrain for a period of 1 month, subject to renewal. They must submit their passport, ID card, resident relatives’ ID, official documents proving kinship, and a letter from the guarantor stating the reason for the visit. The visitor must not work (paid or unpaid) during their visit.
• Joining visa for first-degree relatives of Bahrainis (parents, spouse, children) – This visa is issued to first-degree relatives of Bahrainis (father, mother, spouse, children). The application must be submitted by the guarantor or authorized person. They must submit the applicant’s passport, a letter from a guarantor, a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate, an ID card, health insurance in Bahrain, a marriage certificate in case of a spouse, etc.
• Enrollment visa for educational institutions – This type of visa is issued to students enrolled in local or international universities and institutes. They must submit their passport, copy of their ID cards, official letter from the university or institute they are attending, etc. A permanent residence certificate is required if the institute is headquartered in Bahrain. A student residence permit is issued for 5 years for students registered locally, and a residence permit is issued for 1 year for students registered externally.
• Business visitor visa – This type of visa is issued/extended to businessmen and company representatives abroad to hold meetings, business deals, etc. They must submit their passport, letter from the guarantor, copy of the representative’s ID card, and proof of their profession.
• Visa for technical teams – This visa is issued/extended to artistic teams and the like according to the permit issued by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. They must submit their passports, applicant’s ID, and permits from the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

The following types of visas are issued electronically for a one-time visit:

• Electronic visa for a 1-time visit – This visa is issued to enter Bahrain for 2 weeks at a time. The applicant must submit a copy of their passport, hotel reservation or residential address in Bahrain, return travel ticket, and 3-month bank statement with proof of regular income of no less than BHD 1,000 (Bahraini dinar).
• Investor visa – This visa is issued/extended for a period of 3 months once. The applicant must submit a copy of their passport, hotel reservation or residential address in Bahrain, and return travel ticket.
• Training visa – This visa is issued to trainees in institutions and the private sector for a period of 6 months, renewable for the purposes of training and related matters. The applicant must submit a copy of their passport, a letter from the employer or institute responsible for the training, a hotel reservation, and a return travel ticket.

The following types of visas are issued electronically for multiple visits:

• 3-month multiple entry visa – This visa is issued for multiple entries over 3 months. They must submit a copy of their passport, hotel reservation or residential address in Bahrain, return travel ticket, and 3-month bank statement with proof of regular income of no less than BHD 1,000 (Bahraini dinar).
• 6-month multiple entry visa – This visa is issued/extended to expatriates who are nationals of the United Kingdom and Ireland for a period of multiple 6 months.
• Multi-year entry visa – This visa is issued for multiple entries over a period of 5 years or 10 years.

Work Permits

Employers in Bahrain hiring foreign employees must apply for a work permit for them. The permit can be issued for 1 year or 2 years validity. It can be renewed 6 months before its expiration. The following documents must be submitted for the application:

• Copy of foreign employee’s passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months
• Copy of employment contract in Arabic or bilingual
• Copy of report on medical examination of the foreign employee conducted in their country of residence
• Intent to Transfer form
• Letter of approval/no-objection certificate from the competent authority for some specialized professions