Tamkeen is the Bahrain Labour Fund, established in 2006 as a semi-autonomous government agency responsible for supporting private sector development and the integration of Bahraini nationals into the workforce. Tamkeen operates as the principal enabling mechanism for Bahrain’s Bahrainisation policy and broader economic reform agenda.
Mandate
Tamkeen’s dual mandate encompasses enterprise development and human capital development. On the enterprise side, the fund provides grants, financing, mentoring, and business development services to Bahraini companies and entrepreneurs. On the human capital side, it subsidises wages for Bahraini workers entering the private sector, funds professional training and certification programmes, and supports career development initiatives.
Funding Model
Tamkeen is funded primarily through proceeds from the expatriate work permit fee system administered by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority. This creates a direct financial link between expatriate employment and national workforce development — employers who hire foreign workers contribute to the fund that trains and subsidises Bahraini workers.
Programmes
Tamkeen operates a range of programmes targeting different segments of the economy. Enterprise support programmes provide grants and subsidised financing for small and medium enterprises, with particular emphasis on technology-enabled businesses, tourism ventures, and manufacturing operations. Training programmes fund professional certifications, vocational qualifications, and on-the-job training in partnership with private sector employers. Wage subsidy programmes bridge the gap between market wages and employee expectations, making Bahraini hires more financially attractive to employers.
Scale
Tamkeen has supported tens of thousands of individual Bahraini workers and thousands of enterprises since its establishment. Annual budgets have varied but typically represent several hundred million Bahraini dinars, making Tamkeen one of the largest economic support programmes relative to GDP in the Gulf region.
Institutional Position
Tamkeen reports to a board of directors comprising government officials and private sector representatives. It operates at the intersection of labour policy, education policy, and industrial policy, coordinating with the Ministry of Labour, the LMRA, and the Economic Development Board.
Role in Vision 2030
Within the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 framework, Tamkeen is the primary instrument for delivering the vision’s human capital objectives. The vision calls for a globally competitive Bahraini workforce that drives private sector productivity. Tamkeen provides the financial incentives, training infrastructure, and enterprise support that make this objective actionable. It is, in practical terms, the institution most directly responsible for ensuring that Bahrainisation succeeds as economic policy rather than mere employment regulation.