Opening the company file
The company is registered with the Social Insurance Organisation once its commercial registration has issued, giving it a file in which its employees' contributions are recorded. The procedure takes one working day where the registration documents are complete.
Registering a Bahraini employee
A Bahraini employee is entered in the company's file on hiring, and the record stands for as long as their service does. This registration is something the company or its agent does. It does not happen on its own.
- Timing
- At the start of service, not months into it.
- Period
- One working day.
- Effect
- A late entry creates a shortfall in contributions that is claimed later.
The foreign worker
A foreign worker's position differs. They are treated automatically as part of what follows from their work permit, so they need no separate entry of the kind a Bahraini employee needs. Some companies confuse the two cases and assume the Bahraini is handled the same way, and the shortfall accumulates.
A different registration does not mean no obligation. For every foreign worker the company owes the work-injury contribution and, since 2024-03-01, a separate monthly contribution towards the end-of-service benefit.
| Monthly end-of-service contribution | Share of wage |
|---|---|
| First 3 years of service | 4.2% |
| Beyond 3 years | 8.4% |
What many companies miss: this is paid monthly, not deferred to the day service ends. Where it is not paid, it accumulates. Where service already exceeded three years when the scheme began, the contribution is 8.4% from its start.
Contribution rates
| Category | Employer | Employee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahraini employee | 18% | 8% | 26% |
| Expatriate employee | 3% | 1% | 4% |
- Bahraini employee
- The employer’s share covers pension, unemployment and work injury. The employee’s eight is seven for pension and one for unemployment.
- Expatriate employee
- Work-injury cover only. It does not include the end-of-service benefit, which carries its own contribution.
The rates above apply from 2026-01-01, when the employer’s share for a Bahraini employee rose. They are statutory rates that change by decision, and the Social Insurance Organisation is the final reference.
End of service
When an employee's service ends, their record in the file is closed. Leaving it open keeps an obligation running against the company for someone no longer with it, exactly as an uncancelled permit keeps its monthly fee running.
This guide is a general account. The Social Insurance Organisation is the final reference for any condition, rate or fee.