Located in the beautiful waters of the Persian Gulf the small archipelago of the Kingdom of Bahrain is an incredibly prosperous and multi cultural country.  It’s famous among its neighbours for its ability to maintain a relatively neutral foreign policy and famous among its growing numbers of international citizens for its tolerance and liberalism.

According to the latest economic data from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Bahrain has the fastest growing economy in the Arab world and as a direct result many international professionals and their families are considering moving to the Kingdom and living and working in Bahrain.

Unless you’re a national of one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries which include Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates you will require a visa to enter Bahrain.  If you’re going to be living and working in Bahrain it’s likely that you will have an employer sponsor your visa, if not there are many alternatives available to those who intend to travel to the country to look for work.

There’s an incredibly vast range of visas available depending on the reason for your visit, the proposed duration of your stay, the country you herald from and the number of entries you will require to the country and the most up to date information can be found from your nearest Bahraini embassy or online at the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior website.

The main industries employing foreign nationals in Bahrain are petroleum production and processing, IT, telecommunications, hospitality, medical and banking industries and the main employment centre in the Kingdom is the capital city of Manama.  Naturally enough property prices for both rental and resale homes are highest in Manama as well. 

Those with a firm offer of employment and who are relocating to Bahrain may find that as part of their remuneration package housing is included.  If not there are many agencies which can assist with finding an apartment or house to rent.

Prices for apartments well located in Manama range from around GBP 700 per month right up to in excess of GBP 2,000 for superior properties.  For a villa property a family will be looking at spending anywhere between GBP 1,000 and GBP 3,000 for a decent home in a good neighbourhood. 

Foreigners have been allowed to buy property in Bahrain since 2001 and because the nation is so prosperous it also has a strong property related economy that has seen the price of real estate soar in recent years.  The physical geographic limitations of Bahrain, which is a small Kingdom, restrict the amount of development that can take place which means that it is quite a good bet for property investors and also for those who are considering living and working in Bahrain for an extended period of time.

Our advice would be to secure employment, secure visas and rent property in the Kingdom before committing to property purchase in Bahrain though – this is simply because different areas of the country appeal to different people and you can only get a good feel for which part of Manama or greater Bahrain suits your own personal requirements when you’ve lived there for an extended period of time.

For those actively seeking employment try Job in Bahrain.com which is a site where companies advertise jobs and where prospective employees can also post their CVs.  Alternatively search Bahrain business directories or contact the local Bahrain chamber of commerce for details of employers in your particular sphere of employment and send targeted CVs, resumes and covering letters to their personnel divisions.

The standard of living enjoyed by westerners living in Bahrain is generally incredibly high, Bahrain is a prosperous and cosmopolitan country and one famous for its nightlife and shopping and it is of no surprise that the number of international expatriates the Kingdom welcomes every year is on the increase.