When Iran launched missile strikes targeting Bahrain’s US Navy base on February 28, 2026, the shockwaves rippled far beyond military installations. For the country’s 200,000 migrant workers—who make up three-quarters of the private-sector workforce—the fallout has been economic devastation, with no safety net to catch them. While Bahraini nationals receive emergency wage support from the government’s unemployment fund, migrant workers, despite years of contributions, are locked out of the program. Now, as job losses mount and wages stall, many are left scrambling to survive.

The exclusion is not accidental. Bahrain’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, established in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially covered 100,000 Bahraini workers for lost wages but explicitly barred migrant laborers from benefits. Research from the Migrant Rights Research Open Repository (MRRORS) found that even during the pandemic, migrant workers received lower payouts than Bahraini citizens, despite contributing to the same fund. Today, as regional conflict disrupts industries from tourism to construction, the same discrimination persists.

“The impact of this conflict has been widespread, but it has especially harmed migrant workers carrying out essential work at grave risk,” said Michael Page, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch. “Bahraini authorities are essentially stealing salary contributions migrant workers have made by denying them access to this emergency support when they need it most.”

Migrant Workers: The Invisible Workforce Holding Bahrain Together

Bahrain’s economy runs on migrant labor. From construction sites to military base support roles, workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, and India fill jobs that Bahraini citizens often avoid. Yet when crises hit, they are the first to be abandoned.

In April 2026, a Nepali worker described the terror of living through missile strikes: “Bahrain is so small that missile drops in any corner make you feel like it’s in your proximity. We heard explosions close to our house… it was especially difficult for my child.” His employer, a car rental company dependent on tourism, had already cut his hours and wages. With school fees for remote classes soaring and no access to emergency funds, he sent his family back to Nepal. “The majority of my colleagues have sent back their family members too,” he said.

Another worker, employed by a contractor for a US military base camp, faced a stark choice: take unpaid leave and stay in Bahrain, return home, or accept a pay cut in another country. Two months after the conflict escalated, his company warned that if operations didn’t resume within three months, workers would be left to fend for themselves. He chose to leave.

“The company had said that if the base doesn’t open even up after three months, you can find your own way for your own work.”

Why Are Migrant Workers Excluded?

The answer lies in Bahrain’s labor sponsorship system, known as the kafala. Under this system, migrant workers are tied to their employers, who control their visas and legal status. Many work on “azad” (free) visas, where companies or individuals sell visa quotas for profit, leaving workers with no recourse if employers exploit the system.

A Bangladeshi worker on an azad visa explained the harsh reality: “Private employees from other countries will not receive payment [from Bahraini authorities]… For those of us on free visas, compensation is out of the question. We are counting the days hoping for a job or some work.”

Even when workers are legally employed, the government’s emergency fund remains out of reach. The Unemployment Insurance Fund, which paid Bahraini nationals a month’s salary in April, has reached 95% of eligible workers, according to parliamentary reports. But migrants—who have contributed to the fund for years—are systematically excluded.

A Crisis of Unpaid Wages and Rising Costs

The financial strain is crushing. Workers report:

• Delayed or unpaid wages: Contractors cite “operational challenges” as tourism and military-related industries collapse.
• Salary deductions: Some employers have unilaterally reduced pay, arguing that “business is slow.”
• Rising costs: Food, rent, and school fees have surged as supply chains disrupt and families struggle to cover expenses.

For families back home, the impact is catastrophic. The daughter of SM Tareq, a Bangladeshi migrant worker killed in Bahrain on March 2, 2026, described her mother’s despair: “Keeping Amma together has been the hardest. She collapses… loses consciousness. A few days ago, she had to be admitted to hospital.”

Tareq had worked in Bahrain for 27 years. His death left his family with no income, no savings, and no safety net. “Everything depended on him,” said a relative. “Now, rent is due on the first of every month. Next month’s food, his daughter’s education… all of it has fallen into uncertainty overnight.”

Bahrain’s Broken Promises: International Obligations Ignored

Bahrain is a signatory to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which commits the country to:

• Protecting migrants’ safety and security.
• Upholding equality and non-discrimination.
• Extending access to social security on an equal basis.

Yet migrant workers remain denied emergency aid, excluded from social security, and left without recourse when crises strike. Even home countries offer limited support: the Philippines provided a one-time $200 cash transfer to affected Filipinos in Bahrain, but such measures are ad-hoc and insufficient.

Legal experts argue that Bahrain’s treatment of migrant workers violates international human rights law, which obliges governments to ensure fair wages and social security for all workers, including migrants. “There should be no discrimination, including on the grounds of nationality, in the fulfillment of these rights,” said Page.

What Happens Next?

Bahrain’s parliament has extended the emergency wage program for two additional months, but migrant workers remain locked out. Activists and labor rights groups are pushing for:

• Immediate inclusion of migrant workers in the unemployment fund.
• Comprehensive social security reforms to ensure equal access for all workers.
• Independent oversight of the kafala system to prevent exploitation.

For now, the most vulnerable are left to fend for themselves. As one worker put it: “When the time comes [for payment disbursement], everyone will understand the sad reality.”