A recent article released by the Gulf Daily News included precise figures showing a rise in the unemployment of Bahraini citizens. In the Kingdom's Labor Market Regulatory Authority's (LMRA) final report of 2009, data indicates that Bahrainis have felt the effects of diminishing job numbers in the national market, since employment percentages remained relatively consistent throughout the reporting period. While simultaneously, the number of foreign workers increased by 6 percent, showing a general increase in employment opportunities - just not geared towards Bahrainis, which once again highlights the unique conditions Bahrain's labor market hosts with the atypical inclusion of its local population in the workforce.
Bahrainis earned an average basic salary of 630 Bahraini Dinars (BD) per month (approximately 1,671 USD) in 2009; a wage that is considerably higher than the average 202 BD (approximately 535 USD) earned by expats. It is obvious that employers would look to Bahrain's endless supply of cheap labor when recruiting employees, assuming the workers are qualified for the position and willing to accept a third of the pay expected by Bahrainis.
The report also shows the Bahraini Government's recent interest in limiting the distribution of work visas to migrant workers, perhaps in a move to revamp its labor market and offer new job opportunities to Bahrainis. However,the majority of work visas offered jobs in the construction industry that certainly do not interest Bahrainis. Low wages, uncomfortable work conditions, long hours and a general lack of respect for jobs centered around manual labor shared by many in the region encourage employers to continue outsourcing cheaper labor, directly preventing local participation in the job market.
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