Around 3,500 businesses in Bahrain owe the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) around $1.14 million in arrears, said a top official, adding that LMRA will start receiving requests from Sunday.

The figures were revealed as officials announced businessmen would be able to obtain refunds from credit notes in its system.

"Business owners who have credit notes in our system and want this amount paid, should submit relevant form available at our customer services department,” said LRA chief executive Osama bin Abdulla Al Absi.

"Those who do not want to use the process have the option to keep their credit notes active in their accounts in our system that can be used for payment of any future LMRA transactions.

"Business owners who wish to recover their amounts paid by and published under terms of refund shall be issued cheques payable to the amount recovered by the employer or on behalf of the institution according to the case."

He said the LMRA was dealing with around 80,000 CRs (commercial registration) holding the registration of more than half a million foreign workers. He urged business owners to review their balance sheets, available via the LMRA expat system on its website. – TradeArabia News Service