Bahrain’s Interior Ministry yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) to crack down on illegal expatriate workers.

Inspector-General Major-General Ibrahim Habib Al Ghaith signed the deal with LMRA chief executive Ausamah Al Absi, according to a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

Under the agreement, a centre will be set up to shelter 300 runaway workers before their deportation.

The Interior Ministry will also join ranks with LMRA officials to refer violators of labour laws to authorities prior to their deportation.

Thirty Interior Ministry employees will be assigned to help LMRA inspectors to enforce labour market regulations and track down violators.

Major-General Al Ghaith highlighted the directives issued by Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa to back official efforts in combating the phenomenon of illegal workers. – TradeArabia News Service