Qatar joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Workers’ Day on May 1. International Workers’ Day is a celebration of labourers and the working classes.
The celebration of the day in Qatar comes within the country’s approach towards workers’ care especially recognising their significant contributions to Qatar’s development. In the region, Qatar has become a role model in ensuring workers’ rights and adopting the best standards for their care based on a slew of legislation and laws.
Recently, the Ministry of Labour stressed its commitment to applying the best international standards to ensure the security and safety of expatriate workers. The ministry said it is committed to implementing “all legislative updates that the labour sector has witnessed on a continuous and sustainable basis, beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Championship organization.” It also noted that the development of legislation has become a strategic option for the State of Qatar, both in the short and long term.
Over the years, Qatar has enacted several laws and promulgated rules to reform the labour system and protect the rights of migrant workers in the country. The country’s achievements and progress in this regard have been acknowledged and appreciated by the global community.
In 2020, the country also removed the Kafala system. Exit permit requirements for most expat workers to travel abroad were removed, while the reforms will allow migrant workers to change jobs without employer permission.
A year ago, Qatar introduced a minimum monthly wage of QR1,000, which applies to all employees across all sectors, including domestic workers – a first in the region. According to provisions of this wage structure, employers must additionally provide QR500 per month for accommodation and QR300 per month for food. The new minimum wage has reportedly directly benefitted more than 400,000 workers.
To protect workers from the harsh climate during the summer months, the government has also barred work in open areas from when the sun is at its peak to late evenings. Qatar has also introduced amendments to the labour law that set stricter penalties for employers who fail to pay their workers’ wages and increased the dispute resolution committees designed to give workers an easier and quicker way to pursue grievances against their employers.
Besides, establishing visa centres in labour-sending countries to expedite the recruitment process and ensure that workers are not subjected to abuse in their countries of origin, establishing a support fund, and securing workers to protect and guarantee their financial rights are other measures the country has taken to protect workers.
