Bahrain’s National Employment Programme (NEP) has increased the overall number of Bahrainis employed during the first half of this year to reach about 11,649, 3,459 of whom entered the labour market for the first time, and 8,190 had worked before.

The figures, revealed at a cabinet session chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, also showed that 103 enter the labour market on a daily basis, with the number increasing by 30 per cent since the NEP entered into force, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA).

The encouragement of employment of job seekers among university graduates has yielded fruitful results that have strengthened the competitiveness of Bahrainis in the private sector, the session was also told.

The cabinet reviewed the indicators of the labour market in the first half of 2019, and the latest developments of the National Employment Programme (NEP), launched following directives from HRH the Prime Minister, and based on a recommendation by the Executive Committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince, to create job opportunities for the citizens through implementing a number of initiatives aimed at boosting the national economy and developing the labour market.

The NEP has contributed significantly to generating quality job opportunities for unemployed nationals, while maintaining the flexibility of the labour market, being the cornerstone of sustainable development in the kingdom, the session was told.