An urgent proposal to raise the minimum monthly income requirement for foreign workers or employers to BD1,000 as a condition for the entry, residence and sponsorship of family members, has been approved unanimously by MPs yesterday.
The proposal presented by five MPs, led by Strategic Thinking Bloc spokesman MP Khalid Bu Onk, also includes a provision requiring mandatory health insurance for each sponsored individual.
It has been referred to the Cabinet for review following unanimous parliamentary endorsement.
The MPs behind the proposal emphasised its national importance, noting that the rising number of dependents of low-income expatriate workers has ‘intensified pressure’ on public services, particularly in healthcare and education.
Raising the sponsorship income threshold, they argued, is not aimed at exclusion but at ensuring that all residents – citizens and expatriates alike – enjoy adequate living standards without overburdening state resources.
