Jobs in Bahrain – A Favorable Country To Work In
Jobs in Bahrain are found in various sectors for skilled and semi-skilled people as the nation is quite progressive today than ever before. The congenial state of Bahrain or simply Bahrain is located in the Persian Gulf and is surrounded by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. With more than 100 miles of coastlines, Bahrain is blessed with rich resources like oil, fish stock and pearls. It has the freest economy among the Middle East nations and a great business hub.
Economic position
Expats choose Bahrain as the country provides a luxurious lifestyle and hefty salaries and incentives. The working conditions are great and provide better infrastructure as well. Any employer is ready to pay a higher salary, provided the prospective employee is skilled, educated and qualified.
Type of job sectors in Bahrain
Most promising sectors offering jobs in Bahrain for expats include industries based on petroleum procession and the oil refining sectors, production and the export of aluminum. In addition, construction, ship repair, finance, banking and tourism, telecom industries also attract job aspirants across the globe.
Salary and benefits
When talk about salaries, it can be low or high based on the position, company, location, expat’s nationality, experience and qualifications. For instance, a senior level executive earned monthly in 2012 salaries like $10,714 ( Sales /,marketing), $10,344.8 ( banking), $9,938 (Construction), $9202 (Information Technology), $9,427 (Human Resources), $8576 (Advertising). Unlike before, these days, most of perks like expenses for car, accommodation etc are not given and hence, expat has to make sure that his basic pay scale is enough to cover all these expenses.
Working hours and weekends
Working hours in Bahrain start around 8:30 am or 9:00 am and end at around 5:30 pm or 6:00. However, most Govt organizations work from 7:30 to 2:00pm. Depending upon the company’s policy, weekly hours can be anything between 40 and 48 hours. During month of Ramadan, work day reduces to six hours. However, many companies apply this rule only to Muslims. Typically, Bahrain follows a weekend having Thursday and Friday, but international companies go for Friday and Saturday.
Cost of living in Bahrain
If you are planning to move in Bahrain to take up a job, it is better to have some information about the cost of living there. Although accommodation counts for major expense for an expat, they can get a decent housing in every budget like a fully-furnished two-bedroom flat in town can be hired at BHD 700 and it includes utilities and taxes also. As for transport, if hire a new SUV, it can cost you something around BHD 400 monthly, but if you go for a second-hand older model, the cost is very low. If you get a taxi from city centre to the airport, it will cost you BHD 4.
Education for expats
Expats moving in with families need to know about education in Bahrain. Since, expats are not allowed in Bahrain public schools, they need to send their kids in private or international schools. International schools offer respective educational curricula, but they are a bit expensive as they can cost anything around BHD 7000 annually and additional expenses for text books, uniform, extracurricular and more.
Cultural environment
Bahrain is an Islamic nation, but it shows tolerance of other religions and ethnic groups. Western clothing is acceptable though, revealing clothes and public display of affection is not tolerated. Bahrain today is positioned as the Number 1 place in the Middle East in terms of living standards.
Entertainment and nightlife
Bahrain has bustling centers for entertainment and nightlife. One can enjoy latest international films in multiplex cinemas, visit museums, historical sites and exciting art galleries. Places like Bahrain Bay, City Centre Mall and Al Areen in Manama are happening places for several leisure and entertainment events. Bahrain offers host of options for outdoor activities such as taking a cruise, various water sports, swimming, scuba diving and jet-skiing etc. Expats can enjoy international cuisine and highly exciting nightlife.
Visa and work permit
You cannot work in the country if you do not have a valid work visa. However, you cannot get a work visa unless you have a job offer. The company that is offering a job can arrange work permits for their expat employees prior to their arrival in the country. In addition, expats are required to submit other documents like valid passport, one additional passport photograph and a recent health certificate.
Sources to find jobs
One can apply for jobs in Bahrain through the company websites or through newspaper or gulf job portals. Most expats are employed through a headhunter or a recruitment agency.
