Procedures to register pardoned individuals in insurance against unemployment programme announced

Manama, The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour have announced the procedures for registering individuals covered by the royal pardon in the insurance against unemployment programme, in implementation of the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, during the Cabinet meeting on April 15. Starting today, Thursday, the ministries called on the pardoned individuals to update their ID Cards by booking an appointment through the eGovernment National Portal Bahrain.bh. They are required to attend in person according to their previously scheduled appointments at the ID Card Centre branch in Isa Town, with a recent personal photo and address certificate. If applicable, they would receive their ID cards and a 'no objection' certificate that will enable them to benefit from the Ministry of Labour's services. Bearing in mind that the appointments to register in the Insurance against unemployment programme are scheduled between April 20 and 2 5 via the Ministry of Labour's official website at www.mlsd.gov.bh. If you prefer in-person registration, you can visit the Ministry from April 21 to May 2. The procedures were announced during the joint press conference held by the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Interior, and the Information and e-Government Authority (iGA). The press conference was devoted to reviewing the rehabilitation and employment plan for the pardoned individuals who are of working age and wishing to obtain unemployment insurance. Shaikh Sabah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Director of Identity and Population Registry Directorate at iGA, said that the iGA would undertake a number of measures in this regard according to the instruction of General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, in light of the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He added that the requirements to register for the Insurance against unemployment programme includes the ID card. Therefore, online service is provided in order t o facilitate the procedures for issuing or updating their ID cards. He explained that text messages will be sent to individuals and their families inviting them to enter the national portal to verify their reserved appointments, pointing out that the appointments were booked and distributed in the morning and evening shifts from April 20 to 25. 'If they already have a valid ID card, they shall report in-person, according to their reserved appointment, to the ID card centre in Isa Town to complete the procedures for updating their data, and receive the no-objection certificate issued by the Ministry of Interior,' he added. He noted that the iGA will dedicate Saturday as a working day at the Identity Card Centre in Isa Town to ensure the completion of the applications of pardoned individuals, noting that the centre will work throughout next week during the evening period to receive them according to the times reserved to complete their requests. For more information, they can contact the services call centre 80008001. The iGA Director remarked, 'Following the completion of the card issuance or data updating process, individuals can proceed to the Ministry of Labour to register for the Insurance against unemployment programme.' Captain Jassim Jaber Al-Doseri, Director of the Alternative Sentencing Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, extended sincere thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for issuing a royal decree pardoning inmates charged in rioting and criminal cases. He underscored the humanitarian values embodied in His Majesty's wise vision, contributing to national cohesion and societal security. He lauded the directives of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to provide employment opportunities, training courses, and rehabilitation for the pardoned individuals to pave the way for them to assume their social responsibility and contribute to national development. He further detailed instructions from General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister o f Interior, to expedite the issuance of no-objection certificates in coordination with the General Directorate of Crime Detection and Forensic Evidence, aligning with the efforts of the General Directorate of Verdict Enforcement and Alternative Sentencing to process the necessary procedures for those granted royal pardon. Hussain Ali Al Shami, Director of Employment at the Ministry of Labour, outlined collaborative initiatives with partners, such as Tamkeen, to offer employment opportunities and training for those granted royal pardon. He emphasised prioritising their integration into the labour market and coordinating with training institutions for assessment and selection based on their qualifications and preferences, ensuring continuous monitoring during their training programmes. Dr. Essam Ismail Al Alawi, Director of Training and Manpower Development at the Ministry of Labour, commended the private sector and training institutions for investing in the development of those granted royal pardon. He highl ighted joint meetings held with them to present job opportunities and training services tailored to their preferences and to leverage programmes like the On-The-Job Training (Furas) and the Training with Job Assurance (Dhamaan) to enhance their employability. He indicated that participants in Furas would receive BD 200 monthly from the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), along with an optional reward disbursed by the employer. Additionally, they will benefit from unemployment insurance assistance during their training period. Source: Bahrain News Agency