Shura Council rejects proposal for stricter hiring requirements for expats, calling it unnecessary and unworkable

TDT | Manama

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Stricter rules for hiring non-Bahrainis could backfire by giving foreign workers an unfair advantage, the Shura Council warned yesterday, as it rejected a controversial proposal to amend the Civil Service Law.

The proposal sought to impose a master’s degree, 10 years of experience, and two-year contract limits for foreign hires, while requiring them to train Bahraini employees.

Members also raised alarm over the continued presence of 5,800 expatriates in public sector roles, despite a five-year reduction of just 2,000.

Parliament passed the proposal in October, aiming to open up more opportunities for Bahrainis.

However, the Shura Council called the proposal unnecessary and unworkable, with members pointing out that some of its measures already exist in law.

Red tape

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, His Excellency Ghanim Buainain, said, “The current law already ensures foreign contracts include training Bahraini employees. What we see here isn’t filling a gap, but adding more red tape.”

Buainain also noted that Council members opposed the master’s degree requirement, arguing it would do more harm than good.

“This condition would just add to costs and create barriers in hiring for critical roles,” he said.

Dr Mohammed Ali Hassan backed the importance of prioritising Bahraini workers but questioned the practicality of the proposed changes.

Job levels

“Requiring a master’s degree in every case is unnecessary, especially in fields like healthcare, where precise expertise is what matters most. Costs don’t come from degrees — they come from job levels,” he said.

Dr Ahmed Al Arrayedh echoed the need for more practical thinking, adding that many roles rely on experience and skills rather than formal qualifications.

“Not all jobs need a master’s degree, and plenty of roles can depend on specialised training. We need to ask whether this proposal actually helps Bahrainis or just makes hiring harder,” he said.

Jamal Fakhro, the Council’s First Deputy Chairman, described the issue of replacing expatriates with Bahrainis as a pressing concern.

Payroll

He noted the government had reduced the number of foreign workers in the public sector by 2,000 over five years but argued this was too slow, with 5,800 expatriates still on the payroll.

“ This is n’t moving fast enough. Why is it taking so long to bring more Bahrainis into these jobs?” Fakhro asked.

Dalal Al Zayed, head of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, shared concerns about the proposal’s unintended effects.

“Demanding a master’s degree for foreign hires could push up salaries for expatriates, making the problem worse rather than better,” she said.

Practical steps

Instead, she called for practical steps to monitor and manage contracts better to prioritise Bahrainis.

Fuad Hajji also weighed in, warning that the master’s degree requirement could backfire.

“It might sound like it protects Bahraini jobs, but in practice, it could give foreigners an edge for specialised roles. The proposal needs more work to meet its goals,” he said.

Revisions

Hajji, Dr Mohammed Ali Hassan, and Fakhro initially pushed for the proposal to be reviewed and sent back for revisions but later withdrew their request after legal arguments from committee members and the Chief of Advisors.

In the end, they backed the recommendation to reject the proposal.

The Civil Service Bureau, the Council argued, is already working on training Bahraini employees and localising jobs, making the measures redundant.

Members also warned that stricter rules could delay hiring in critical sectors like health and education.