Located in the bay on the coast of the Persian Gulf and consisting of a small archipelago made of 50 islands, the kingdom of Bahrain is an island country in Western Asia close to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Qatar. With a land area of 780 km, it has a population of 1.58 million people of which a large percentage are foreigners working on the islands. The capital city, Manama, offers an urban setting to expats looking for better opportunities in the country. The kingdom is famous for its climate, date palms, and camels. If you are considering working here as an expat, there are very few options as the job market is quite tight. For foreigners residing here whilst looking for employment, this article provides information on finding a job in Bahrain as an expat.
Industries
The major industries, which account for the country’s gross domestic product are petroleum refining, aluminium, banking, agriculture, etc. in terms of tourism, the nation has the largest underwater theme park in the world, Dive Bahrain, and the biggest single-site aluminium smelter. Faced with a decline in oil production, it began petroleum processing and refining and ended up transforming itself into an international exporter of refined petroleum, raw aluminium, and iron ore. Due to the strict policies and religious laws, there are only a few job opportunities open to expats, which is why finding work here can come as a challenge for foreigners who are not highly skilled or experienced.
Types of jobs
The emergence of new forms of working systems is gradually taking over the typical weekdays working in an office setting. These forms are remote, part-time, hybrid, internship, contract-based, freelancing, seasonal work, etc. Thankfully, they are available in major industries where foreigners are allowed to work. Industries where expats can find work include but are not limited to tourism, petroleum, refinery, mining, etc.
Finding work as a foreigner
Despite the rate of unemployment, there are job vacancies in native and offshore companies, local warehouses, mines, refineries, banks, etc. carrying out business in the kingdom. The current method of looking for work among expats is hunting for openings on LinkedIn, websites like Indeed, glassdoor, etc., career pages of sought-after corporations, job groups on Facebook, job sections of local newspapers, etc. With these options, foreigners can find and apply to numerous jobs categorised to their fields of interest, level, job type, and work experience. As a result of the few positions available, only practised migrants who meet up to the requirements employers want are employed. The last method an expat can try is networking: finding out about vacancies from relatives, friends, or foreign networks working in the desired company.
Work requirements for expats
The country offers employment to expats staying within and outside its territory. However, with the small number of openings available, employers often hire only trained and expert people for well-paying positions. If you do not meet this requirement, do not panic. Expats with no degree have lots of short-term jobs in the hospitality industry open to them. They do not require much education but they do not pay well compared to professional jobs.
Language skill
The official language is Arabic. Thus learning to speak English and Arabic before relocating is advisable for expats looking to communicate better with other residents around them and those thinking of staying permanently. Foreigners who are fluent in English have the odds in their favour of being employed, as native English speakers with TEFL certificates and teaching experience are sought after to teach English in native schools in the Kingdom.
Work visa/permit
After securing a job, expats residing outside the Gulf must apply for a work visa at a Bahrain embassy or consulate before relocating. This visa approves the entry of such an employee into the country for a certain period. Work permits are issued by the ministry of foreign affairs to domestic employees and emigrants.
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