Investing in Limitless Potential: Employment Programs by Tamkeen
It is without a doubt that the youth are the future and local talent is present in abundance. The efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain are evident through various programs which build and empower future generations.
Building the skills of the youth is the first step. Investing in the youth’s potential through integrating them into the workforce is where the return on investment begins. Bahrain’s National Employment Program is designed to make citizens the first choice of employment. Through Tamkeen’s endeavors, Bahraini talent is seen and developed.
Tamkeen has taken a step further by introducing the Wage Increment Program. Enterprises are incentivized to promote their existing Bahraini workforce, whereby the career progressions of existing employees are encouraged and supported. 100% of the wage increment will be supported by Tamkeen for up to 24 months, with the potential for an extension.
To be eligible for the wage subsidy support within the National Employment Program, the enterprise and employee must satisfy the following criteria:
The enterprise must:
- have an active Commercial Registration/license; and
- not have violations from Tamkeen or the Labour Market Regulatory Authority.
The employee must:
- be a Bahraini national; and
- be a fresh graduate with 2 years’ experience or less, or a Ministry of Labour nominated jobseeker.
The employee’s wage must:
- not be lower than the ranges stipulated by Tamkeen; and
- be adjusted based on the number of working hours (for flexible/part-time employees).
In addition, there are supplementary requirements for different occupational tracks (such as doctors, engineers, and actuaries).
In respect of the eligibility for the increase in wages within the Wage Increment Program, the employee must fulfill the following criteria:
The employee must:
- be a Bahraini national;
- work for three months or more within the same enterprise; and
- have a salary not exceeding 1,500 BHD.
Note that the increment may be between 5% and 20% of the employee’s current wage and is applicable for all employees as well as existing National Employment Program candidates. As for the enterprise, the aforementioned requirements of the National Employment Program must be satisfied.
The ease of fulfilling the aforementioned criteria is a testament to Tamkeen’s intention to invest in the limitless potential of the youth, while simultaneously enabling enterprises to benefit from the return on investment.
