Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy located in the heart of the Arabian Gulf, west of the Asian continent. It is characterized by its rich civilization and long history of more than five thousand years. The country is situated on the Persian Gulf and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island. Saudi Arabia lies to the west across the Gulf of Bahrain, while the Qatar peninsula lies to the east. The economy of Bahrain is heavily dependent upon oil and gas.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Bahrain.
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Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy located in the heart of the Arabian Gulf, west of the Asian continent. It is characterized by its rich civilization and long history of more than five thousand years. The country is situated on the Persian Gulf and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island. Saudi Arabia lies to the west across the Gulf of Bahrain, while the Qatar peninsula lies to the east. The economy of Bahrain is heavily dependent upon oil and gas.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Bahrain.
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2025.
| January 1 | New Year's Day | |
| March 30 - April 1 | Eid al-Fitr | Movable as per Islamic Lunar Calendar |
| May 1 | Labor Day | |
| June 6 - 8 | Eid al-Adha | Movable as per Islamic Lunar Calendar |
| June 26 | Islamic New Year | Movable as per Islamic Lunar Calendar |
| July 5 - 6 | Ashura | Movable as per Islamic Lunar Calendar |
| September 4 | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | Movable as per Islamic Lunar Calendar |
| December 16 - 17 | National Day Holiday |
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Bahrain is 14 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
Social insurance is mandatory for all employed citizens in Bahrain. The Social Insurance Organization (SIO) is charged with managing the social insurance fund and providing insurance services for all individuals. SIO provides social insurance coverage for employees against risks associated with:
An overview of employer contributions is presented in the table below.
| Benefit | Employer Contribution Rates (Bahrain Citizens) | Employer Contribution Rates (Non-Bahrain Citizens) |
| Pension | 14% | 3% |
| Work Injury | 3% | 3% |
| Healthcare | BHD 22.5 per annum | BHD 72 per annum |
| Total | 17% plus BHD 22.5 | 6% plus BHD 72 per annum |
The maximum working hours should be no more than 48 hours per week. A worker must not work more than eight hours a day, unless otherwise agreed upon, provided that the worker’s actual hours of work do not exceed 10 hours a day.
An employer may employ a worker for extra hours if required by the business conditions. A worker should receive payment for each extra hour equivalent to the wage entitlement increased by a minimum of 25% for hours worked during the day and by a minimum of 50% for hours worked during the night.
A worker may be employed under a probationary period if expressly provided for in the contract of employment, provided that the probationary period does not exceed three months.
However, a probationary period may be increased up to a maximum of six months in respect of the occupations as determined by a resolution of the Minister. The probationary period should not be recognized unless expressly provided for in the contract of employment. No worker should be employed under probation more than once by the same employer.
Either party to a contract of employment may terminate it upon giving the other party 30 days prior notice. If the contract is terminated by the employer, an agreement may be reached to establish a notice period of more than 30 days.
The maximum working hours should be no more than 48 hours per week. A worker must not work more than eight hours a day, unless otherwise agreed upon, provided that the worker’s actual hours of work do not exceed 10 hours a day.
An employer may employ a worker for extra hours if required by the business conditions. A worker should receive payment for each extra hour equivalent to the wage entitlement increased by a minimum of 25% for hours worked during the day and by a minimum of 50% for hours worked during the night.
A worker may be employed under a probationary period if expressly provided for in the contract of employment, provided that the probationary period does not exceed three months.
However, a probationary period may be increased up to a maximum of six months in respect of the occupations as determined by a resolution of the Minister. The probationary period should not be recognized unless expressly provided for in the contract of employment. No worker should be employed under probation more than once by the same employer.
Either party to a contract of employment may terminate it upon giving the other party 30 days prior notice. If the contract is terminated by the employer, an agreement may be reached to establish a notice period of more than 30 days.
Social insurance is mandatory for all employed citizens in Bahrain. The Social Insurance Organization (SIO) is charged with managing the social insurance fund and providing insurance services for all individuals. SIO provides social insurance coverage for employees against risks associated with:
An overview of employer contributions is presented in the table below.
| Benefit | Employer Contribution Rates (Bahrain Citizens) | Employer Contribution Rates (Non-Bahrain Citizens) |
| Pension | 14% | 3% |
| Work Injury | 3% | 3% |
| Healthcare | BHD 22.5 per annum | BHD 72 per annum |
| Total | 17% plus BHD 22.5 | 6% plus BHD 72 per annum |
