A bill that would have allowed foreign workers in Bahrain to switch jobs after completing a year with their sponsors or fulfil their contracts has been rejected by the Kingdom's Shura Council.

It said that it was unconstitutional because it forced employees to remain in their jobs for at least a year even if they don't want to work there before seeking employment elsewhere.

Councillors said that the amendment proposed by parliament in the article under the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) law contradicted the main reasons for which the government abolished the sponsorship system.

The jobs switch system started in Bahrain in August after being postponed for three months by the government following objections from businessmen.

Council services committee secretary Abdulghaffar Abdulhussain said that Bahrain was trying to follow international labour conventions it had signed.

'Abolishing the sponsorship system was one of them and whether businessmen agree with it or not, it is there to benefit the labour market,' he said.

'It would mean that foreign workers would be treated unjustly, since they would be obliged to remain with their sponsors, without having the right as their Bahraini counterparts to seek other employers.'

Council financial and economic affairs committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati said that the one year or end of contract stipulation were wrong amendments by parliament.

'What if the employee wants to leave before one year is over and his employer has granted him the go ahead, will he be told to stay by the LMRA because the system doesn't allow him to do so?' he asked.

'Or what if one employee decides to pay the penalty for the termination of a contract, will that be impossible too, since the foreign worker had to complete his contract?'

Meanwhile, the council approved Bahrain signing a maritime agreement with Greece. The bill has been approved by parliament and will now by ratified by His Majesty King Hamad.-TradeArabia News Service