Bahrain lets an expatriate employee move to a new employer through an LMRA transfer, so the old permit does not have to be cancelled first. The new employer files the transfer in LMRA's Expat Management System (EMS) at least a month before the move date, and your current employer is notified.
What your current employer can do depends on how long you have worked under your current permit:
- Under 12 months: they can approve now, approve after the notice period, or refuse. If they do nothing for seven days, the request is cancelled.
- 12 months or more: they can approve now or after the notice period, but cannot block it. If they do nothing for seven days, it is approved automatically after 30 days from the date they were notified.
The notice period is 30 days or what your contract says, up to 90 days. You keep working for your current employer until the transfer goes through.
Costs (paid by the new employer): an admin fee of BHD 5, then the permit fee of BHD 97.5 for six months, BHD 195 for one year or BHD 390 for two years, plus BHD 90 if dependants move with you. LMRA's processing time is 3 working days.
A transfer asked for in the last three months of your permit needs your current employer's consent, and an expired permit cannot be transferred: the new employer must apply for a new permit instead.
Questions go to the LMRA contact centre on +973 17506055.
Steps
- Check that your work permit is still valid (at least five days left).
- Send your resignation and notice by Bahrain Post, or get a no-objection, termination or resignation-acceptance letter from your employer.
- Your new employer submits the transfer in EMS at least one month before the move date and pays the BHD 5 admin fee.
- Your current employer responds in EMS; with 12+ months served, silence means approval after the notice period.
- The new employer pays the permit fee within 30 days of approval and prints the new work permit.
Recommended places
- LMRA Main Office, Sanabis