In a historic first of its kind in the Middle East, Qatar enacted labour reforms in bid to protect the interests of employers and employees and provide additional stability to the State’s labour market. Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued a law setting the minimum wage for labourers and domestic workers. H H the Amir also issued Decree laws amending Labour Law and Law regulating entry, exit and residency of expatriates.
Qatar always delivers on its promise to expand the labour market in a manner that drives competition, boosts investment in the local economy, and drives economic growth in Qatar. In this regard, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs took a major step forward in its labour reform programme, introducing a non-discriminatory minimum wage for all private sector workers, including domestic workers, and removing the No-Objection Certificate requirement to change jobs for employees. These moves will drive greater competition in the labour market by allowing employees to change employers and allowing employers to attract the best talent on the local market.
H E Yousuf Mohamed Al Othman Fakhroo, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs, said: “The State of Qatar is committed to creating a modern and dynamic labour market. In line with Qatar Vision 2030, these new laws mark a major milestone in this journey and will benefit workers, employers, and the nation alike.”
Attracting the desired combination of migrant workers, protecting their rights, and ensuring their safety is part of the human development goals of Qatar’s 2030 National Vision. The minimum wage was decided following extensive consultations with a specialised national commit-tee composed of relevant authorities in Qatar. A Minimum Wage Committee will be formed and tasked with frequently studying and review-ing the minimum wage of workers and domestic workers.
The Ministry will work with all employers to update all employment contracts where workers earn less than the amount established by the new Law, which will come into force after six months of its publication in the official gazette.
For his part, Qatar Chamber Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani said these decisions will greatly contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the Qatari economy regionally and globally, as well as enhancing competition and productivity in the local labour market, thus providing the opportunity for private sector companies to contract with skilled and trained workers, which will contribute to diversify the economy.
All these measures prove that Qatar is moving steadily towards preserving the rights and taking utmost care of its workers.
