Yes. Under the Wage Protection System (WPS), every private sector employer in Bahrain must pay wages through a bank or payment service provider that is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and registered with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). Paying in cash outside the system breaks the law.
It applies to all sectors, and to Bahraini and expatriate workers alike. Employers have been required to use it since Resolution No. 68 of 2019 came into force on 11 July 2019. Salaries for domestic workers can also be paid through any of the approved banks or payment providers.
How it works: the employer uploads the payroll file in LMRA's Expat Management System, approves it through its bank, and the money goes into each worker's bank account or wallet. This leaves a record of every payment, which helps if there is ever a dispute about unpaid wages.
LMRA is moving employers to a new version, WPS 2.0; it says the date it becomes mandatory will be announced on its official channels.
LMRA's contact centre is +973 17506055.
Recommended places
- LMRA Main Office, Sanabis