Bahrain's Cabinet yesterday approved a BD200 ($533) levy every two years for work permits.

Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who chaired the session, had recommended the need to strike a balance between labour market reform requirements and its development.

The fees package also includes a monthly BD10 payment for each expatriate worker - to come into effect from July 1 next year.

The Cabinet hailed the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the commercial sector for their co-operation with the government's initiatives to upgrade and reform the labour market and protect the private sector's interests to create a favourable and stable work environment.

It sent back a draft law seeking the issuance of a card to support limited income families to the legal affairs committee for further study. -TradeArabia News Service