Bahrain Courts Convict Eight in Illegal Work Permit Scheme Linked to Fictitious Companies

Bahraini courts have convicted eight individuals in multiple criminal cases involving the misuse of commercial registrations to illegally obtain work permits for non-existent businesses, authorities confirmed.

According to the Public Prosecution, the defendants were found guilty of acquiring and holding work permits under the names of fictitious or inactive companies, despite having no legitimate business operations or need for the permits. The cases form part of intensified enforcement efforts aimed at curbing violations linked to false commercial activity and labour market abuse.

In one ruling, five defendants were sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to be permanently deported after unlawfully obtaining 93 work permits through 51 commercial registrations tied to companies that were later proven to be inactive or non-existent.

In a separate case, the court imposed a fine exceeding BD60,000 on a defendant who secured 61 work permits using 32 commercial records without conducting any legitimate business activity. The individual was also ordered to be permanently deported.

A third ruling saw two defendants fined a combined BD42,000 and permanently deported after illegally acquiring 42 work permits linked to 21 fictitious commercial registrations.

Investigations were initiated following inspections by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), which uncovered irregularities during routine monitoring of registered businesses. Authorities found that several companies existed solely on paper and were being used exclusively to issue and retain work permits.

The Public Prosecution stated that investigations involved interrogating suspects, collecting witness testimonies, and reviewing official and electronic records. After sufficient evidence was established, the cases were referred to court, resulting in convictions.

Authorities reiterated that strict legal measures will continue against individuals who exploit commercial registrations to circumvent labour regulations, stressing that such practices undermine the integrity and stability of Bahrain’s labour market.