The overall number of expatriate workers dropped by 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year, to stand at 594,944, down from 601,461 during the same period last year, as reported by the Gulf Daily News, quoting the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
It issued 46,162 new licences in the second quarter of this year – 37,570 for workers (including domestic workers), 1095 for investors and 7,497 for dependents as part of family reunion.
The regulatory authority renewed 95,992 licences, of which 80,430 were for workers and 1,123 for investors.
The construction sector topped the list with 26.7pc of the new licences, followed by the trade sector (19.3pc) and hospital and restaurants (14.6pc).
The national workforce (Bahrainis) dropped by 3.6pc to 153,103, down from 158, 814 due the second batch of Bahraini employees who quit last June under the early voluntary retirement scheme.
