From August 1 to December 31, illegal foreign workers in Bahrain have the chance to legalize their status or surrender without penalty. This is possible because of the five-month amnesty program implemented by Bahrain’s government. At present, thousands of foreign workers in Bahrain (include Filipinos) are employed without the proper documents.

Most of them are overstaying workers who entered Bahrain using only a visit visa. The amnesty period also extends to employers in Bahrain who deployed illegal workers. They can either help an expatriate worker legalize their stay or deport without penalty. The general amnesty is particularly for foreign workers with expired visa. Illegal workers with record of criminal offenses and are currently in detention centers are not included in the amnesty program

Labor Minister and Labor Market Regulatory Authority chairman Dr Majeed Al Alawi said,
"The penalty for violating work and residency laws in Bahrain will not be applied for the coming five months. I appeal to all employers and employees, who have defied the laws, to make use of the amnesty, which has been graciously granted by the Bahrain government,"

Bahrain has followed the move of other Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait that granted amnesty to overstaying and undocumented workers.

Dr Majeed Al Alawi added, “Illegal workers should seek the help of the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports, and Residence (GDNPR) through their respective embassies.”