Bahrain News Report On Deportation Of All Expats Now Refuted

Expats living and working in Bahrain can now breathe a sigh of relief as a report announcing mass deportations has now been classified as fake news.

Officials from Bahrain’s Ministry of Labour and Social Development have reassured the local expat community over a report published in the online news site Arabia, calling the news an attempt to misguide readers and the general public. According to the ministry’s under-secretary, Bahrain has absolutely no intention of forcibly getting rid of its expat professionals as it considers them major contributors to the state’s economy and is thankful for their efforts.

Prior to the article’s slamming as fake news, concern was being expressed across the emirate’s several expat communities as to its effect on expatriates aged between 30 and 58 years working in 38 professions. According to the article, the move was to free up jobs for Bahraini nationals, with sectors and professions mentioned including pharmacists, human resources, public relations executives and reporters. The news, if true, would have been devastating both for established expat professionals and for new arrivals impressed by the country’s recent rating in an international survey as second best in the world for expat careers.

Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, unemployment rates are remaining high along with the news that Saudi nationals are refusing to take jobs considered demeaning socially and culturally. High unemployment rates have dogged the kingdom’s economy for years, creating a perfect storm of immigrants looking to fill low-waged positions in the private sector. Whilst the media and Saudi politicians have long denied their countrymen’s attitude about certain jobs, the results of several recent projects have forced the Ministry of Labor and Social Development to drag the issue into the real world.

Top official at the ministry Dr Ahmad al Zahrani told the media his colleagues are working on ‘bridging the gap’ between unemployed Saudis and available jobs in the private sector. Speaking at the recent Saudi Economic Council’s annual meeting, al Zahani corroborated both reasons why Saudis prefer to remain unemployed and live off the state rather than take minimum-waged jobs, thus risking rejection from members of their immediate social circle.