Through the Flexible Work Permit or “blue card”, undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Bahrain can now change their immigration status and regularize their stay in the country.
Citing reports from Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the visa holders will be issued a renewable work permit with two years validity, health insurance coverage, and a return ticket at the end of the contract period or when the worker decides to return to his or her home country.
The visa will also allow migrant workers to legally work in the country even without a sponsor.
There are also several criteria that must be met to qualify for the visa. An out-of-status migrant worker must not have any criminal records.
A worker must not have a travel ban imposed against him or her due to a criminal case as well. The visa is also not valid for those who are on domestic worker, business, or tourist visa.
In terms of fees, workers must pay an administrative fee of 449 Bahraini dinars (Php64,464) and a monthly maintenance fee of 30 Bahraini dinars (Php4,307).
The embassy is offering financial assistance to OFWs who are willing to avail of the visa.
“Our Embassy in Manama, along with the representatives from our DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA), are working with the Bahraini Government to ensure that some 1,295 of our out of status kababayan in Bahrain can avail of the program,” Ver said.
Foreign affairs Alan Peter Cayetano also expressed his hopes that other countries in the Middle East would do the same for undocumented OFWs there.
“[This is a] step in the right direction in promoting and protecting the rights of migrants…We also express our hope that this will be replicated in other countries, particularly neighboring countries in the Middle East,” Cayetano said.
