The State of Qatar issued a series of laws and decrees to improve labour market and living conditions of migrant workers in the country within the framework of comprehensive processes of updating legislations in all fields since the issuance of the permanent Constitution in 2004.
These reforms have been recognised by major human rights groups and the UN organisations, so it is a continuous process aimed at responding to the development of the country and the economic and social transformation of the Qatari society being witnessed from time to time.
In 2015, the State of Qatar introduced the Wage Protection System (WPS) which obliged all employers working under the then Labour Law to transfer their employees’ wages through Qatari banks, within seven days of their due date. In the same year, amendments on provisions of Law No. 21 were issued to provide expatriates workers and employees under labour law a freedom to change jobs, new measures to prevent contract substitution and passport confiscation.
The law regulating the relationship between domestic workers and their employers was issued in 2017 to make advances in the protection of the rights of domestic workers and working conditions in accordance with the provisions of ILO convention. This was enhanced by Ministerial Decision in 2019 which allows domestic workers to leave the country without exit permit upon notification of the employer but even this was removed for all expatriates.
In order to consolidate laws and rules aimed at protecting labour rights the government established Labour Dispute Resolution Committees with the aim of improving access to justice by settling labour disputes within three weeks of a migrant worker filing a complaint.
Within the framework of improving the working conditions of employees and protecting their rights, a fund was established in 2018 to support workers by protecting them from the impact of overdue or unpaid wages in instances where the employer has gone out of business or been forced to close it due to any illegal activity.
And the most recent in this series of reforms was introduction of a non-discriminatory minimum wage of QR1800 per month including accommodation and food allowances. The minimum wage is the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East and provides additional stability to Qatar’s labour market. Special committee has also been formed to review and examine the minimum wage of employees and domestic workers constantly.
The minimum wage law implementation started yesterday after six month of grace period given to companies to rectify their status and amend contracts.
The progress made in this field not only places Qatar in a leading position in the Gulf but also reflects that reforms are genuine, long-lasting, and the product of years of careful planning.
