“Tamkeen” supports more than 41,000 Bahrainis in the private sector

Zahraa Habib

It has achieved the greatest achievement since its establishment in 2024.

Referring 24 violations to the competent authorities and launching a new reporting policy

51% of “small and medium sized” businesses benefited from business development programs

Increasing the number of inspection visits to 15,000 for beneficiaries of wage subsidy programs

Maha Meffers, CEO of the Labor Fund “Tamkeen”, revealed the most prominent achievements achieved for the year 2024, achieving the greatest achievement since its establishment, by integrating and developing about 41,000 Bahrainis working in the private sector, and supporting more than 15,200,000 Bahrainis through programs that contributed to their integration. in the labor market, and more than 25,700 thousand Bahrainis benefited from skills upgrading and career development programmes.

In a press conference yesterday, Tamkeen reviewed the most prominent achievements achieved during this year in light of the main initiatives represented in supporting employment, supporting career development, and supporting institutions.

Mufeez confirmed that the year 2024 witnessed the achievement of the largest achievement and record for “Tamkeen” since its founding, through the integration and development of more than 41 thousand Bahrainis in the private sector, by employing support in achieving the main goals of contributing to the creation of quality job opportunities and building new channels for employment. In partnership with the private sector, training and qualifying national cadres to enhance their opportunities for career development. This comes in line with Tamkeen’s commitment to achieving the pillars of sustainable economic growth in Bahrain through cooperation. Close cooperation with all partners in the Bahrain team to implement national development plans, most notably the government work program 2023-2026, and the national labor market plan 2023-2026.

The achievements achieved in 2024 indicate that the percentage of small and medium enterprises that benefited from “Tamkeen” programs amounted to about 51% of the total institutions that received support within business development programs, and about 54% of the institutions that received support within financing applications.

Women received qualitative support within the “Tamkeen” programmes, amounting to 40% of the total beneficiaries of employment support programmes. Support for professional certificates also witnessed an annual growth of 88% compared to last year, and the average increase within the wage increase program rose to 80 Bahraini dinars.

With regard to subsidizing wages for Bahrainis working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within Bahraini projects invested outside Bahrain, Mafeez pointed out that Bahraini companies operating in Saudi Arabia are treated as national enterprises, and it is possible to benefit from the advantages offered there, in addition to the existence of programs that encourage Bahraini project owners to expand outside the country. Bahrain, and there are great opportunities in this regard, as a contract has been concluded with a Saudi company and is being activated so that companies can submit requests for expansion in Saudi Arabia.

She pointed out that the budget allocated to “Tamkeen” amounted to 100 million dinars, which is received as revenues from the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, noting that the 200 million dinars received from the Unemployment Fund was divided over 3 years, starting from 2024 and ending in 2026.

The details of the “Bahrain Skills” initiative, which was launched yesterday, explained that it is a platform for analyzing labor market data, and linking various competent authorities in coordination with e-government, to reveal the challenges and opportunities for supporting and developing Bahraini cadres and qualifying them for the labor market.

Regarding the number of violations monitored for the year 2024, she explained that there were 24 violations that were monitored and referred to the competent authorities to take the necessary measures. Inspection visits were also increased six-fold, which amounted to about 6 thousand visits in 2024, and a new policy for reporting violations was launched, in addition to increasing the frequency of violations. Coordination between “Tamkeen” and the Ministry of Labor to monitor suspected cases in order to refer them to the relevant authorities, such as economic crimes, and then the Public Prosecution.

Mafeez confirmed that Tamkeen has recovered the support funds provided to a number of violating institutions, and that the pace of inspection, oversight, and collection of funds will witness an increase in the pace of its work during the coming period.

In addition, Alia Al-Aali, CEO of Strategy and Data Analysis at the Labor Fund “Tamkeen”, noted that the Fund’s strategic priorities for the year 2025 are focused on enhancing the position and competitiveness of the Bahraini citizen in the private sector, and providing Bahrainis with the appropriate skills for career development in the private sector, in addition to giving priority to growth and digitization. And the sustainability of institutions, explaining that this comes in conjunction with the Fund’s continued commitment to supporting the development of the ecosystem related to the labor market and the private sector to enhance their effectiveness with the aim of increasing the impact of the support provided.

She stated that the numbers indicate a growth in the number of specific jobs in which wages exceed 600 dinars by 19%, compared to the year 2023, and there are about 13,000 Bahrainis whose wages were increased by approximately 80 dinars, indicating the existence and new initiative to support institutions that have the ability to Accelerated growth in addition to enhancing digital transformation in private sector institutions.

Al-Aali confirmed that there is an increasing demand for “Tamkeen” programs by 30%, according to monitored statistics, and includes supporting institutions and developing professional cadres, pointing to the “Bahrain Skills” initiative that was launched yesterday, which includes 7 reports published on the platform, specific to a number of different sectors, and includes Skills gaps and future jobs.

For his part, Executive Director of Program Development and Partnerships at Tamkeen, Ali Hassan, stressed that the program package that was launched in November 2023 succeeded in creating employment and career development opportunities for more than 41,000 Bahrainis in private sector institutions, by providing support to more than 15,200. Bahrainis through programs that contribute to their integration into the labor market, more than 25,700 Bahrainis in programs that aim to raise skills and career development, and more than 8,500 institutions in programs that It enhances the growth of Bahrainis through programs that contribute to their integration into the labor market, and more than 25,700 Bahrainis in programs that aim to raise skills and career development, and more than 8,500 institutions in programs that enhance growth and productivity.

The press conference reviewed Tamkeen’s internal development to achieve institutional excellence by employing innovation and digital transformation with the aim of providing an integrated digital customer experience without the need to visit service branches, as open banking services were employed to automatically verify the International Bank Account Number (IBAN), and the electronic checks feature was added. For beneficiaries of institutional support programs, in addition to enhancing data linking mechanisms with partner agencies, and other advanced solutions to enhance the ease and smoothness of service provision.

With the aim of verifying the efficiency of the support and ensuring that it is directed to those who deserve it, Tamkeen worked to develop and implement an integrated plan to enhance joint responsibility in preserving and safeguarding public funds, including intensifying oversight efforts, enhancing cooperation with relevant authorities, launching a policy for reporting violations, and granting a number of oversight employees. Tamkeen’s legal affairs have the status of judicial control officers, and carry out inspection campaigns and intensive visits to institutions and individuals benefiting from support, the number of which exceeded 6,000 inspection visits during the year 2024, in addition to… Diversifying the channels designated for reporting violations, which included launching the page designated for reporting on the website with all confidentiality, phone number, and email, in addition to continuous communication with customers during and after the end of the support period to monitor any potential violations, as more than 54.4 thousand customers were contacted during the year 2024 and during the year 2025. Tamkeen will continue to intensify its oversight efforts, which include increasing the number of visits to 15,000 inspection visits to individuals benefiting from wage subsidy programs, in addition to 4,000 visits to institutions. Beneficiaries of institutional support programs.