Their Excellencies the Ministers,

Ministers of State for Cabinet Affairs Resolution No. 4, dated 23rd February 1980 regarding recruitment of Non-Bahraini Employees; Minister of state for Cabinet Affairs Resolution No. 4, dated 6th October 1981 regarding Staffing of Government Position; and, Civil Service Regulation No.360, dated 1st April 1980 regarding Recruitment of Non-Bahraini Employees Establish the CBS as the central authority for overseas recruitment. The CSB is responsible for determining when overseas recruitment is necessary; negotiation with applicants and/or agents in foreign countries; making offers of employment; approving employment contracts; making offers of employment; authorizing travel and transportation expenses; acting as official sponsor of all non-Bahraini Government employers for purpose of immigration and residence in Bahrain.

The Resolutions and the Regulation recognize that a single central organization to plan, approve and coordinate overseas recruitment activities is to plan, approve and coordinate overseas recruitment activities is the most efficient and cost effective way for the Government to recruit non-Bahraini employee. More importantly, Ministries have been directed to fill positions with Bahraini citizens and to recruit for non-Bahrainis only when qualified Bahraini citizens are not available. The CSB is charged with ensuring that this policy of Bahrainization is closely followed and, to that end, the Bureau has been given the full and complete authority and responsibility for overseas recruitment.

in the past, some Ministries have recruited overseas directly without coordination and/or approval by the CSB. In 1984 commitments made to individuals as a result of independent recruitment will not be approved by the CSB, for appointment.

Most Ministries have cooperated with the CSB as the central recruiting organization for the Government. However, while there has been coordination there has not always been proper planning to make the administrative process work smoothly. Overseas recruitment trips have been capriciously scheduled, cancelled, scheduled with short notice; long delays occur between the placing of the advertisement and the interview; money is wasted running separate advertisements for each Ministry; and, because of poor planning, some Ministries have run numerous advertisements each announcing a separate position, a time consuming and costly procedure.

The Civil Service Bureau is in the process of developing the coordinated overseas recruitment plan for 1984. This overseas recruitment plan will cover all projected requirements as well as currently vacant, authorized, budgeted positions for which overseas recruitment will be necessary during the year. The Civil Service Bureau must have a completed form 52 Request for personnel Action and form 52A request for Overseas Recruitment on each position you believe overseas recruitment will be necessary. The Forms must reach the Civil Service Bureau not later then two weeks after the date of this circular. Positions cleared for overseas recruitment will be incorporated in the Government wide Coordinated Overseas Recruitment plan.

Based on previous experience, we have developed the following schedule:
January 15-31 joint advertisements run in selected countries.
March 15-30 interviews in countries as a result of January advertisements.
April 15-30 joint advertisements run in selected countries.
May 14-29 interviews in countries as a result of April advertisements.
July 1-10 advertisements for Ministry of Education for Teachers.
August 15-31 interviews in Egypt for Teachers.
Sept. 15-30 joint advertisements run in selected countries.
Nov. 1-15 interviews in countries as a result of September advertisements.

Ministries must plan their overseas recruitment activities with this schedule in mind. Requests to recruit overseas that are not part to the Government wide plan will be significantly delayed. For example, if a Ministry does not get their request into the Government wide plan and should make their request after the January 1984 advertisements period, that request will have to wait for the next advertisement dates, i.e. April 1984.

Your cooperation in the joint planning effort will eliminate the problems associated with uncoordinated recruitment overseas, and expedite actions in filling your vacant position.

Isa Bin Ai Al Khalifa
Head of Civil Service