Bahrain Mirror: Chief Executive of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority said that what was "recently mentioned about the flexible work permit is caused by an inadvertent confusion and a misunderstanding of a statement on flexible work," without giving further explanation.

The system under which the authority sells residency permits to foreigners for an annual fee is subject to considerable criticism by merchants and citizens. Critics consider the authority has turned into a "visa" trader instead of working on reforming the labor market structure.

Al-Absi stressed in Al-Ahlia University forum that "the state has made policies that would reduce the benefits of legal and administrative preference of foreigners (...) the freedom of movement of the foreign worker, although constituting a development in the rights of the foreign worker, it also removed a preferential advantage for him."

Arabic Version