Practical guide
Bahrain Labour Law Termination Notice Period
By Gaurav Agarwal · Updated 12 October 2026
For an indefinite private-sector contract in Bahrain, either party normally gives 30 days' written notice. A longer period may be agreed only when the employer terminates. During valid probation, the minimum is one day. A worker's termination-compensation claim must be filed within 30 days of termination.
01Which notice rule applies to you?
Start with the contract type and who is ending it. Article 99 sets 30 days' notice for an indefinite contract. If the employer is the one ending the contract, the parties may agree a notice period longer than 30 days. A definite contract, probation, gross misconduct and a domestic-worker case need separate treatment.
Government employees are outside this private-sector law. Most provisions also do not apply to domestic workers, so domestic workers should use LMRA's dedicated worker guidance and call 995 when unsure.
| Situation | Notice or result | Immediate action |
|---|---|---|
| Employee resigns from indefinite contract | 30 days' notice | Send written notice with proof of receipt, and check the contract for additional resignation steps |
| Employer ends indefinite contract | 30 days; a longer period may be agreed, or wages are due for notice not served | Ask for the written reason and settlement |
| Valid probation period | At least one day | Check that probation is expressly in the contract |
| Definite contract ends on its agreed date | Check the contract and expiry terms | If work continues after expiry with no express renewal, Article 98(4) treats the contract as indefinite |
| Summary dismissal for Article 107 misconduct | No notice or compensation only if the statutory ground is proved | Request the ground and evidence in writing |
| Domestic worker | Use the rules and LMRA process that apply to domestic work | Call 995 or visit the Expat Protection Centre |
02How to resign with proof
Article 100 requires written notice. LMRA's practical booklet tells an expatriate worker to send the resignation through post office registered mail and keep the notification card, often called the pink card, or the resignation slip. The notice period starts when the other party receives the notice, so a dated draft alone is not enough.
Your letter should identify the contract, state clearly that you are resigning, give the intended last working day and include the notice period you are serving. Keep the signed letter, postal receipt, delivery evidence, contract, payslips and any reply.
- Read your contract for any additional resignation steps, and plan on 30 days' notice.
- Write a clear resignation letter with today's date and the proposed last working day.
- Send it by a method that proves receipt. LMRA recommends post office registered mail for its worker process.
- Keep the pink card or receipt, a copy of the letter and all delivery tracking.
- Continue working during notice unless a lawful written arrangement changes that.
- Ask for an itemised final settlement and confirm the separate LMRA permit or transfer step.
Worked 30-day example
If the employer receives a 30-day notice on 12 October, count from receipt, not from the day you drafted it. Confirm the calculated last working day with HR in writing because the contract, receipt time and any lawful leave issue can affect the date.
03Missing notice, immediate dismissal and compensation
If either party does not give all required notice, Article 99 links compensation to the wage for the notice period or the part not served. LMRA describes the practical worker-side consequence as one month of wage where the worker fails to resign properly under the ordinary 30-day process.
An employer cannot treat every problem as immediate dismissal. Article 107 has a defined list of serious grounds, including specified absence thresholds after written warnings. If that exception does not apply, the notice rule and any Article 111 compensation for dismissal without valid reason must be considered separately.
For dismissal without a valid reason, Article 111 uses different calculations for indefinite and definite contracts. Do not accept a generic online formula without matching your contract type, length of service, wage basis and the current law text.
| Event | What to check | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Employer asks you to leave today | Written reason, notice pay and Article 111 position | That same-day exit removes notice pay |
| Worker wants to leave today | Employer agreement or wage exposure for unserved notice | A verbal message completes resignation |
| Probation ends | Valid written probation clause and at least one day's notice | Every new employee is automatically on probation |
| Gross misconduct alleged | Exact Article 107 ground, warnings where required and evidence | Any poor performance permits summary dismissal |
04Final pay, unused leave and end-of-service amounts
Article 40 requires wages and other amounts due on termination to be paid immediately. When the worker leaves on their own initiative, the deadline is within seven days. For a delay of up to six months, compensation is 6 percent a year; it then increases by 1 percent for each further month, up to 12 percent a year.
Unused annual leave, notice compensation, dismissal compensation and end-of-service benefits are separate settlement items. Article 47 uses the last basic wage plus social allowance for the named termination rights, with a three-month average in specified variable-pay cases.
For covered non-Bahraini private-sector employees, the SIO end-of-service scheme applies to service from 1 March 2024. Earlier service and cases outside coverage need the correct Labour Law treatment. Use the official SIO record rather than treating the notice calculation as the gratuity calculation.
| Item | Record to keep |
|---|---|
| Wages | Last payslip and unpaid salary breakdown |
| Notice | Days served and any wages paid instead |
| Leave | Leave balance and payout calculation |
| Dismissal compensation | Contract type, service dates and Article 111 calculation |
| End-of-service benefit | Employer calculation and SIO contribution statement |
| Return travel | Ticket arrangement if the expatriate is leaving Bahrain and not joining another employer |
05Notice does not cancel or transfer the work permit
A resignation letter ends neither the LMRA permit nor the immigration record by itself. If you are changing employers, follow the separate LMRA mobility process. LMRA says consent is needed during the first 12 months, while a worker who has completed more than 12 months may use the no-consent route if the other conditions are met.
For both routes in the LMRA booklet, the permit must have at least five days' validity. The national transfer service describes a contractual notice period between 30 and 90 days for the transfer process, which is separate from the Labour Law notice rule. The new employer pays the new permit fees; the worker should not pay them.
If the permit expires or is terminated and you remain in Bahrain to find a new employer, LMRA's booklet publishes a 30-day grace period and says an employer can renew it for another 30 days by visiting NPRA. The current NPRA Grace Period page lists a BHD 15 renewal fee and says the guarantor or an authorised person may apply through the NPRA website, the eGovernment website or personal attendance; that page does not state the renewed period's length. Do not confuse that immigration period with employment notice.
| Goal | Official route | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| End the employment contract | Written notice under the Labour Law | Keep proof of receipt |
| Move during first 12 months | LMRA transfer with employer consent | Permit must meet the validity condition |
| Move after more than 12 months | Resign, then file the transfer intention | Follow the no-consent conditions |
| Leave Bahrain | Employer and LMRA departure steps | Confirm permit cancellation and return ticket |
| Stay during grace period | NPRA and LMRA status route | Check the exact expiry date |
06Where to ask for help or complain
For an expatriate worker who needs help resigning, transferring or reporting abuse, LMRA publishes hotline 995, email [email protected] and the Expat Protection Centre. Call 999 if there is immediate danger.
Article 135 says a worker's termination-compensation claim will not be heard if filed more than 30 days after the contract ends. Article 136 says other labour claims arising from the employment contract are not actionable after one year from the contract's expiry, subject to its stated exceptions. File promptly.
What the official pages do not give is one universal settlement figure. The result depends on the contract type, reason for termination, service, wage basis, notice served and social-insurance coverage. Ask for the calculation in writing.
Three quick scenarios
Resigning in month 8: give written contractual notice. Employer consent is still relevant if the goal is an LMRA transfer during the first 12 months.
Dismissed during probation: check that probation is expressly written and has not exceeded its lawful duration. At least one day's notice applies.
Employer says leave today: request the written reason, notice-pay treatment and itemised final settlement before signing an acknowledgement.
07FAQs
What is the termination notice period in Bahrain?
For an indefinite private-sector contract, Article 99 requires 30 days' notice. Where the employer ends the contract, a longer period can be agreed. LMRA's 30 to 90 day contractual notice is a separate transfer-process rule.
Does a Bahrain resignation have to be in writing?
Yes. Article 100 requires written notice. LMRA advises expatriate workers to use registered mail and keep the postal notification card or resignation slip as proof.
What is the notice period during probation in Bahrain?
At least one day, provided the probation term is expressly written in the contract and is within the permitted duration.
Can an employer terminate an employee immediately?
Only limited statutory grounds allow dismissal without notice or compensation. Otherwise, notice, payment for unserved notice and possible dismissal compensation must be considered.
What happens if I leave without serving notice?
Article 99 links the consequence to wages for the notice period or the unserved part. LMRA describes one month of wage under the ordinary 30-day resignation process.
When must final salary be paid after termination?
Article 40 says immediately on termination, or within seven days when the worker leaves on their own initiative.
Does resignation cancel my LMRA work permit?
No. Employment notice and the LMRA permit record are separate. Complete the official cancellation, transfer or status process that applies.
Where can an expatriate worker get help?
Use LMRA hotline 995, email [email protected] or visit the Expat Protection Centre. Call 999 for immediate danger.
How long do I have to file a termination-compensation claim in Bahrain?
Article 135 says a worker's claim for compensation for termination will not be heard if filed more than 30 days after termination. Article 136 gives a one-year limit for other labour claims arising from the employment contract, subject to its stated exceptions.
08Official sources
- Labour Law for the Private Sector
- LMRA Terminating Contracts booklet
- Expatriate Employee Transfer
- SIO End of Service Gratuity for Non-Bahrainis
- Law No. 36 of 2012
- NPRA Grace Period
Official details checked 12 October 2026.
Related guides: follow the LMRA change-of-employer process · claim the Bahrain end-of-service benefit · check an LMRA absence-from-work case · download your SIO contribution statement