Candidates: working in bahrain
The Kingdom of is an Arabic island country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family Bahrain, comprises a group of thirty three islands, located within an area of 707 Sq.Kms., and is situated at the Arabian Gulf, away from the east coast of Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain is the Arabic term for “two seas”, referring to the freshwater springs that are found within the salty seas surrounding it.
Oil was discovered in 1932 and brought rapid modernization to Bahrain. This discovery made relations with the United Kingdom closer, as evidenced by the British establishing more bases there.
Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Persian Gulf crisis of 1990-91. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to multinational firms. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude oil. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. In 2004, Bahrain signed the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, which will reduce certain barriers to trade between the two nations.[
Bahrain is an Island located in west to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. Seas around Bahrain are very shallow, heat up quickly in the summer, and produce high humidity, especially in the summer nights. In those periods, summer temperatures may reach about 35 °C (95 °F). Rainfall in Bahrain is minimal and irregular.
The population of Bahrain stands at 600,000 and includes a good number of expatriates from the whole world.
Bahrain is a tourist destination with over eight million tourists a year. Most of the visitors are from the surrounding Arab states but there is an increasing number of tourists from outside the region due to a growing awareness of the kingdom’s heritage.
It is one of the most fashionable areas of the Arab world, comprising most modern restaurants, nightlife and modern restaurants in its capital city, Manama.
Bahrain houses most ancient castles and fortifications that are worth visiting. Also there are mind-boggling array of historical artifacts at the Bahrain National Museum
Other actiivities include:
Pearl Diving which has been the heritage of Bahrain for millennia. Today, the productive oyster beds continue to flourish providing exciting and rewarding diving opportunities all around the year.
The Riffa Golf Club was designed by a leading golf designer, Karl Litton. The club covers a length of 24 hectares, and comprises landscaped shrubbery and palms to give a tropical feeling of desert terrain.
living in bahrain
Bahrain is a liberal country among the more insular Arabic countries. The outlook of the rulers and the people are modern, though they give very high respect to their religion and traditions. The overall cost of living in Bahrain does not vary much from the cost of living prevailing in many European countries. Lack of taxation in general makes several items, including electronic goods, much cheaper but imported food products might cost more than that of your native country. Cost of accommodation is also generally high.
Electricity, water, gas, and other utilities are owned and subsidized by the government to provide lower rates to the local population. Cost of international telephone calls is also comparatively lower, since the government wishes to encourage business and investment from abroad. Average cost of living in Bahrain is provided hereunder for general reference. However, this might vary from person to person, depending on the individual habits and personal lifestyle.
As such, the monthly living expenses for an individual would be about $2300-$2400 for an individual, $3,100-$3,200 for a couple, and $4,100-$4,200 for a family with 2 children. These are only approximations taking into account a standard mode of living in Bahrain. This would vary according to individual lifestyles. You could take this as a rough indication of Bahrain’s cost of living and negotiate your work contract accordingly.
Bahrain is a liberal state, but many Bahrainis are conservative. It is best to dress conservatively except within the confines of hotels or clubs, at least until you know your way around. Religious and social sensitivities should be observed and respected, especially during the religious festivals of the Shia community when black flags and banners may be in evidence.
working hours & overtime
The working week in Bahrain tends to vary between 40 and 48 hours, depending on the particular company’s policy. Office hours are usually from 8.30 or 9.00 am to 5.30 or 6.00 pm. There are no differences in time keeping between summer and winter. In the month of Ramadan, the working day is reduced to six hours and legally this should apply to all staff, but many companies only apply it to Muslims, who fast during daylight hours.
Friday is the Muslim rest day and, if your company has a five-day working week, the other day off will probably be either Thursday or Saturday. Saturday is the more popular choice for international companies, as taking Thursday off would mean a reduction in the number of operational days in common with much of the rest of the world. Conversely, other companies insist on Thursday, as the school ‘weekend’ is Thursday and Friday.
Arabic is the official language of Bahrain, though English is widely understood and used for business purposes
