Bahrain Sets Minimum Salary Foreign Workers Must Earn Monthly to Sponsor Spouses for Residence
- Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority published the income threshold foreign workers must meet to bring their spouses into the country on a residence permit
- The rule ties eligibility directly to what an expatriate employee earns according to Social Insurance Organisation records, not self-declared income
- Additional conditions around visit permits and personal identification numbers also apply to dependants already inside the kingdom
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Bahrain has set out the minimum monthly salary a foreign worker must earn before their employer can apply for a spousal residence permit on their behalf, with the figure listed on the official website of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
According to the LMRA, an expatriate employee must have a monthly net income of at least BHD 400 (roughly N1,427,000) as recorded by the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO), for their spouse to qualify for a dependent residence permit.
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The income figure is drawn from SIO registration data rather than from any documentation the worker submits independently, meaning the employer's official payroll records carry full weight in the assessment.
Bahrain: Process for foreign workers to sponsor spouses
The application must be submitted by someone registered in the LMRA system as an authorised or responsible person on the relevant Commercial Registration or Unit. Individual workers cannot initiate the process themselves; it must go through the employer's designated representative.
For dependants who are already inside Bahrain on a visit permit or any other type of permit, that existing permit must still be valid at the time of application. Expired permits disqualify the application from proceeding.
The LMRA also notes that dependants who already hold a previous personal number in the system must enter that same number when applying for the new residency permit, rather than registering as a new entrant.
Bahrain: Salary threshold for workers to bring spouses
The BHD 400 threshold is a firm requirement rather than a guideline, and because it is measured against SIO-registered income, workers whose salaries are not fully captured in the social insurance system may find themselves unable to meet the condition even if their actual take-home pay is higher.
For the large population of foreign nationals working in Bahrain, the policy sets a clear financial bar that must be met before families can be formally reunited in the country. Workers earning below the threshold would need to seek a salary adjustment or explore alternative visa routes for their spouses.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
