UTC + 03:00

Undoubtedly, payroll is a critical process for any organization. Pay cycle in Bahrain refers to the period for which an organization pays its employees, and this can vary depending on the pay frequency that the organization chooses to adopt.

Typically, salaried employees are paid at least once a month.

Bahrain does not require employers to pay a 13th-month salary.

There is no minimum wage in Bahrain.

The employer may employ the employee for additional hours beyond the regular hours if required. Overtime hours should not exceed 2 hours per day.

Pay – The employee shall receive for each additional working hour a wage equivalent to his due wage plus at least 25% for hours worked during the day and at least 50% for hours worked during the night.

Tax records must generally be kept for a minimum of five years. Social security records should be kept for five years. All records regarding compensation and benefits must be kept for a minimum of five years.

Employers are not prohibited from carrying out background checks, and these can be done at any stage in the hiring process.

Foreign nationals are required to have a work permit sponsored by an employer in Bahrain. The application for the work permit must be submitted to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority ('LMRA') using the online Expat Management System ('EMS'). The following documents must be submitted with the application:

Required documents

• Copy of the applicant's passport
• Copy of the latest paid electricity bill of the employer
• Applicant's ID card
• Copy of the offer letter or work contract between the employer and the applicant employee pages.
• Copy of medical check-up report
• Copy of the residence permit if the applicant works in any of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Once the LMRA approves the application, the employer must pay the work permit fees through the EMS system. The permit must then be printed from the EMS system and taken to the Immigration Office to be stamped into the individual's passport.

After arriving in Bahrain, the employee will need a further medical check and have their photograph and fingerprints taken to be issued the Central Population Registry ('CPR') identity card

Bahrain labor law allows employers to have a probationary period, which is expressly stated in the employment contract. Probation can be used only once during the period of employment. The probationary period can last up to three months and, in certain professions, up to six months

Paid leave is granted to workers who have completed at least six months of service with the same employer for over 12 months. Its length depends on the worker's seniority. It is 14 calendar days when the worker has less than five years of service, 21 calendar days from 5 to 10 years of service, 28 calendar days from 10 to 20 years of service, and 35 calendar days when the worker's length of service is 20 years or more.

01 January: New Year

01 May: May Day

02 May: Eid al-Fitr

03 May: Eid al-Fitr Holiday

04 May: Eid al-Fitr Holiday

08 July: Arafat Day

09 July: Eid al-Adha

10 July: Eid al-Adha Holiday

11 July: Eid al-Adha Holiday

12 July: Eid al-Adha Holiday

30 July: Muharram

31 July: Muharram Holiday

08 Aug: Ashoora

09 Aug: Ashoora Holiday

08 Oct: The Prophet's Birthday (Tentative Date)

16 Dec: National Day

17 Dec: National Day (Second day)

An employee completing three consecutive months in the employer's service, whose sickness and entitlement to sick leave by providing a certificate issued by any of the Government Medical Centers or any of the clinics retained by the employer, shall be entitled to the following sick leaves during the same year:

• Fifteen days on full pay
• Twenty days on half-pay
• Twenty days without payment

Employees expecting a child are entitled to 75 days of maternity leave. The first 60 days are paid in full, with the last 15 days remaining unpaid.

Fathers are entitled to one day of paid leave when a child is born.

Child Care Leave: Female employees are entitled to unpaid leave for taking care of her child not exceeding six years of age, of a maximum of six months each time, and for three times throughout her service.

The minimum notice period is 30 days. The minimum notice period may be increased contractually when the employer terminates the employment relationship. The law is silent about whether the notice period can be increased if the employee terminates the employment relationship.

Employees shall receive the following:

• First three years: 15 days' salary for each year
• From the fourth year: 30 days' salary for each year

Foreign employees will all need work visas if they take up any employment. This permit is valid for one to two years and entitles your workers to residency. You will arrange most of the paperwork.

An employer or Bahraini national needs to sponsor anyone seeking a Bahrain working visa. The number of visas a company can sponsor depends on two factors: The physical size of the office and the limit set forth by national regulations. The employer handles the process on behalf of the employee and must show a letter of employment, commercial registration number, the employee's capacity, the contract duration, and more.

Other requirements include the following:

• A completed visa application form
• The employee's passport
• A passport-size photo
• Copy of the contract with the employee's name, birth date, and nationality
• Health record from an authorized clinic
• Proof of payment of BHD 100 fee

Employers are not prohibited from carrying out background checks, and these can be done at any stage in the hiring process. Nevertheless, it is recommended that checks should only be carried out where they are proportionate and necessary and following an offer of employment. Applicants should be notified beforehand that their application will be conditional on background checks being carried out.

Expatriate job candidates must also complete satisfactory medical and police clearance checks.

Checks on social media are not regulated, and employers are free to use them to perform background checks on an applicant. However, it is recommended that these checks are confined to professional sites (e.g., LinkedIn) and carried out after the interview process to avoid any suggestion that candidates were selected or not selected because of their characteristics.