If you are moving to Bahrain for work, almost everything about your legal status runs through one body: the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, or LMRA. It issues and renews the work permit that lets a private-sector expatriate live and work in the Kingdom, and it collects the fees and monthly levy that employers pay to keep that permit valid. This 2026 guide explains how the LMRA work visa works, the steps to issue and renew it, the fees, what happened to the old flexi-permit, plus the medical, renewal and rights that matter to you.
How the LMRA work permit works
Bahrain’s standard route for foreign employees is an employer-sponsored work permit issued by the LMRA. The permit ties your legal right to work to a specific employer, who acts as your sponsor and is responsible for issuing, renewing and eventually cancelling it. Once the permit is approved and you have entered the country, your residence status and CPR (identity card) are linked to it.
Work permits are issued for fixed terms, typically six months, one year or two years, and the employer chooses the duration. The whole process is handled electronically through the LMRA’s Expat Management System (EMS), which employers use to submit applications, pay fees and track status. For how your residence ID and digital identity connect to the permit once you arrive, see our Bahrain CPR and eKey guide.
Employer steps to issue a new work permit
The employer, not the worker, drives the application. In broad terms the steps are:
- Register and check quota. The company must be registered with the LMRA and have the sanctioned quota (available work permits) for the role.
- Submit the application on EMS. The employer files the new work-permit request, uploads the employee’s passport and job details, and selects preferred medical centres for the in-country examination.
- Pay LMRA fees. Permit, administrative and health fees are paid through accredited banks or the EMS.
- Entry visa and travel. Once approved, an entry visa is issued so the worker can travel to Bahrain.
- Medical and CPR. After arrival the employee completes the required medical test and is issued a CPR card, completing the residence process.
Processing times vary with the role, nationality and paperwork, so employers usually start well before the intended start date.
Fees and the monthly levy
Bahrain revised parts of its labour-fee structure in recent years, so always confirm current amounts on the official LMRA portal before budgeting. Based on the LMRA’s published schedule, the main charges for a standard registered-worker permit are:
- Permit issuance: about BHD 97.5 for six months, BHD 195 for one year and BHD 390 for two years, plus a small administrative fee of around BHD 5.
- Monthly levy: a recurring fee of roughly BHD 15 per worker per month, paid by the employer for the duration of the permit. This levy funds labour-market and training programmes and is one of the more significant ongoing costs of sponsoring an expatriate.
- Health fees: basic healthcare charges apply on top of the permit, commonly cited at around BHD 90 for a one-year term (roughly BHD 45 for six months and BHD 180 for two years).
By law and practice, these government fees are the employer’s responsibility and should not be deducted from your salary. If you are weighing whether a Bahrain package works for you, these levies feed into the wider picture in our Bahrain cost-of-living guide.
The flexi-permit and self-sponsorship: what changed
The flexi-permit was a self-sponsorship scheme launched in 2017 that let holders live in Bahrain and work for any employer, part-time or full-time, without a single sponsor. It was popular but controversial, and the LMRA stopped issuing new flexi-permits in late 2022 and has wound the programme down since, citing weak labour-law coverage and retention problems for employers.
It was replaced by a privately administered Labour Registration Programme, under which eligible workers obtain a “registered worker” permit that also allows self-sponsored work for up to two years. Crucially, eligibility is now narrow: it is aimed mainly at former flexi-permit holders and workers whose permits had lapsed before set cut-off dates, rather than being open to any expatriate. Reported costs for this registered-worker route run higher than the old flexi fee, so anyone considering it should verify current eligibility and pricing directly with the LMRA.
The practical takeaway for 2026: do not assume you can arrive and “self-sponsor” through a flexi-permit. For most new arrivals the realistic non-employer options are the registered-worker programme (if you qualify) or, for higher earners, investors and talent, the separate Bahrain Golden Residency.
Medical examination
A medical examination is a standard condition of the LMRA work permit. Workers recruited from abroad usually complete a first medical in their home country at a GAMCA/Wafid-approved centre before travelling, and then a second, confirmatory examination at an authorised centre inside Bahrain after arrival. The tests screen for communicable diseases and fitness to work; a clear result is required before the residence permit and CPR are finalised. Employers select the preferred in-country medical centres when they file the application.
Renewing an LMRA work permit
Renewal is again the employer’s job and is done through the EMS or an accredited bank. Permits can be renewed for six months, one year or two years, and the renewal fees are lower than first issuance, with published figures of roughly BHD 52.5 for six months, BHD 105 for one year and BHD 210 for two years, plus healthcare fees (about BHD 45, BHD 90 and BHD 180 respectively) and the ongoing monthly levy. A permit can be renewed while the employee is inside or outside Bahrain, but if you are outside the country the permit must still be valid. Employers should start renewal before expiry to avoid the fines and complications that come with a lapsed permit.
Expat rights and mobility
Being sponsored does not lock you to one employer for life. Bahrain allows expatriate workers to transfer to a new employer under LMRA rules, and reforms in recent years have made mobility easier, in some cases without the current employer’s formal “no objection” once notice and conditions are met. Your key protections are that permit fees and the levy are the employer’s cost, that your passport is yours to keep, and that unpaid wages or unfair treatment can be raised with the Ministry of Labour or the LMRA. Confirm your permit status yourself through the LMRA’s online verification tools rather than relying on assurances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still get a Bahrain flexi-permit in 2026?
No. The LMRA stopped issuing new flexi-permits in late 2022 and has phased the scheme out. Self-sponsored work now runs mainly through the narrower Labour Registration Programme, which is largely limited to former flexi-permit holders and certain lapsed-permit workers. Verify your eligibility directly with the LMRA.
Who pays the LMRA work-permit fees and monthly levy?
The sponsoring employer. Permit, administrative, health and the recurring monthly levy (around BHD 15 per worker) are the company’s legal responsibility and should not be deducted from your salary. Always confirm current amounts on the official LMRA portal, as fees have been revised.
Do I need a new medical test every time my permit is renewed?
Requirements can vary by case, but a medical examination is a core condition of the work permit and may be required at renewal as well as at first issuance. Your employer and the authorised medical centre will confirm what is needed for your specific renewal.
