Bahrain Work Visa From Pakistan: BHD 195 Permit, Employer Applies, 21 Working Days
A Bahrain work permit costs BHD 195 a year, the employer applies to LMRA and it takes about 21 working days. Documents, steps and status check for Pakistanis.
A Bahrain work visa for a Pakistani worker starts with the employer, not with you. The employer applies to Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) for a work permit. A one year permit costs BHD 195, a two year permit BHD 390, and a request from abroad takes about 21 working days.
Bahrain is back in the news in Pakistan. On 8 October 2026 the two governments set a $1 billion trade target, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said about 134,000 Pakistanis live in Bahrain. He also spoke of easing the movement of skilled Pakistani workers. That is a good moment to know how the system actually works, because job offers follow headlines, and so do fake ones.
We read the LMRA's own service pages for this guide. Every fee below is from there.
The employer applies for your Bahrain work permit online
In Bahrain the employer files the request on the LMRA's Expat Management System (EMS). You cannot apply for a Bahrain work permit yourself from Pakistan. Your part is to supply a clean passport copy and a fit medical report.
The LMRA describes its New Work Permit service as one through which "employers can submit a request for issuing a new work permit for expatriate employees". The permit is tied to the employer's commercial registration. So a job offer that does not name a real Bahraini company is a warning sign from day one.
A one year Bahrain work permit costs BHD 195
The LMRA lists the permit fee by length. It is made of two parts: the work permit fee and a basic health care fee.
| Permit length | Work permit | Health care fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six months (only for workers already in Bahrain) | BHD 52.5 | BHD 45 | BHD 97.5 |
| One year | BHD 105 | BHD 90 | BHD 195 |
| Two years | BHD 210 | BHD 180 | BHD 390 |
On top of that the employer pays a BHD 5 admin fee and, for a worker hired from outside Bahrain, a BHD 30 job advertisement fee. The employer also pays a monthly fee for each foreign worker: BHD 7.5 for each of the first five and BHD 12.5 from the sixth.
All of these are charged to the employer through the EMS or an accredited bank. If an agent in Pakistan asks you to pay "visa fees" in dinars, ask for the LMRA invoice. A real application has one.
Your passport and medical report must meet LMRA rules
The LMRA's document list has a line written for Pakistani and Indian workers. Get these right and you avoid the most common delay.
- Passport: valid for at least six months, and the LMRA "highly recommended" two years. Your first name and father's or family name must appear on the first page.
- Extra passport pages for Pakistanis: the page showing your father's or spouse's name, and the page with your old passport number.
- Medical report: from a centre accredited by the Gulf Health Council, through Wafid, no older than two months and showing you fit. You can check your Gulf medical report by passport number before you send it.
- Professional approval: teachers, doctors, engineers and banking roles may need a letter from the relevant Bahraini authority.
If you have worked in Bahrain before, the employer must reuse your old personal number. Tell them it exists.
How the Bahrain work visa process runs, step by step
The LMRA lays out the process in ten steps. Here is the same order from a Pakistani worker's side.
- Accept a written offer from a Bahraini employer. Make sure the contract states the job and the period.
- Get a Wafid medical test in Pakistan and send the report and passport copies.
- The employer files the new permit on the EMS, matching the permit period to your contract.
- The employer pays the BHD 5 admin fee and the BHD 30 advertisement fee. Unpaid applications are cancelled.
- The LMRA verifies the request. From abroad this takes about 21 working days.
- After approval, the employer pays the permit fee and prints the work permit.
- In Pakistan, you get emigrant protection from the Bureau of Emigration before you fly.
- Once you land, the employer prints your residence permit through Bahrain's national portal.
The Bureau of Emigration's fee table, as we read it on 29 September 2026, came to Rs 9,200 for a worker who goes direct and Rs 22,200 through a licensed promoter. The breakdown is in what an overseas job agent can legally charge.
Check your Bahrain permit status before you pay anyone
Your employer can see the application status on the EMS at any time. You can also call the LMRA Contact Centre on +973 17506055, which the LMRA lists for status checks. Phone service runs from 7:30am to 5pm Bahrain time, which is 9:30am to 7pm in Pakistan.
Ask the employer or agent for the application ID. A real request gets one as soon as it is submitted. No ID, no application.
The LMRA also runs a "View Expatriate Employee Data" service and an Expat Portal for workers. Once you hold a permit, these let you see what is registered in your name.
Families need a separate BHD 90 dependant permit
The LMRA charges BHD 90 for each new or renewed accompanying family dependant application. No medical test is needed for dependants, the LMRA says. A dependant who wants to work needs a separate work approval, at BHD 195 for one year.
Bahrain also has a separate Registered Worker scheme, run through approved Labour Registration Centres. It has its own rules and eligibility check, so do not mix it up with a normal employer permit.
Before you deal with any recruiter, check the overseas job agency's licence.
Common questions
How much is a Bahrain work visa for Pakistanis?
The LMRA work permit costs BHD 195 for one year or BHD 390 for two years, plus a BHD 5 admin fee and a BHD 30 advertisement fee. The employer pays these.
How long does a Bahrain work permit take?
About 21 working days for a worker outside Bahrain, according to the LMRA. Workers already inside Bahrain take about 3 working days.
Can I apply for a Bahrain work visa myself?
No. Only a Bahraini employer can file a new work permit on the LMRA's system.
Which medical test is needed for Bahrain?
A Wafid medical from a Gulf Health Council accredited centre, no older than two months, showing you fit to work.
How can I check my Bahrain work visa status?
Ask your employer for the application ID and status on the LMRA's EMS, or call the LMRA Contact Centre on +973 17506055.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 9 October 2026. We read the LMRA's New Work Permit service page (last updated 8 July 2026), its fees page (last updated 31 December 2025), and its Expatriate Employee and Registered Worker pages. Ishaq Dar's figure of 134,000 Pakistanis in Bahrain is from his statement of 8 October 2026 as carried by Radio Pakistan. The Bureau of Emigration fees are from its fee table as we read it on 29 September 2026 and were not re-read today. Fees can change, so ask your employer for the LMRA invoice.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
