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Manama: Facing a litany of criticism from the business community over a proposal to impose a six-year residency cap on millions of expatriates, Labour Minister Majeed Al Alawi has clarified the suggestion would not include skilled professionals and would be confined to semi-skilled and non-professional labourers.
The proposal would affect about 80 per cent of expatriates in the labour market and would offer locals more employment opportunities, Al Alawi said on Wednesday night at a meeting on market reforms.
Earlier this week, Al Alawi told Gulf News that "the residency time ceiling proposed for foreign workers in the Gulf is meant to ensure that unskilled foreign manpower taking part in different development projects do not come to live here for long periods that might entitle them to the rights of immigrant workers under the UN conventions."
But on the other hand, Al Alawi said, people who have expertise needed in the Gulf should be offered longer residency permits and, subsequently, citizenship.
The remarks have, however, waded into controversy and Al Alawi, a former opposition figure who joined the government in 2002, is now facing a barrage of criticism from the business community and Bahrain-based expatriates.
Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) officials warned the proposal would hit small and medium enterprises where employers are keen on preserving continuity in their staff.
BCCI Chairman Isam Fakhroo said in a press statement the proposal contradicted the labour reforms launched by the kingdom and the chamber was ready to consult with the ministries on laws and rules related to the labour market.
For BCCI second deputy chairman, Adel Al Maskati, social concerns about the massive presence of labourers in the Gulf differ from the issue of money outflow and cannot be confused.
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