What exactly has evolved in Qatar for Migrant workers?
Since it began in April 2018, the ILO has released more info describing the outcomes of the Technical Cooperation Programme between the Government of Qatar and the ILO.
The major efforts that have been made in the areas of labour migration government, the enforcement of the labour law and access to justice, and boosting the voice of workers and social dialogue are addressed in the annual and four-year progress reports.
Thousands of workers have already experienced an improvement in their working and living conditions as a result of these enhancements, but more work needs to be done to guarantee that all workers benefit from these.
Freedom to Easily Change Jobs
Before, firms in Qatar had to give their employees permission to leave the country and change jobs. These made up the most problematic aspects of the kafala sponsorship system, which made employees excessively dependent on their employers.
Since these reforms were implemented two years ago, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) has authorized nearly 350,000 petitions for migrant workers seeking to switch occupations.
Payment of Wages
Qatar became the first nation in the Gulf to establish a non-discriminatory minimum wage in March 2021. The minimum wage applies to all workers, regardless of nationality, in every sector, including domestic work. Since the new legislation came into effect, 280,000 employees, or 13% of the workforce, have seen their salary increase to the new minimum threshold.
Furthermore, employers are required to transfer workers’ wages through Qatari banks so that the MOL can monitor the transfers and cut down on wage fraud. The consequences for failing to pay salaries have increased, and they are being enforced more aggressively. A government-created fund has distributed $350 million since 2019. This number illustrates the severity of the problem of unpaid salaries in the nation.
Job Health and Safety & Labour inspection
Occupational Safety and Health & labour inspection Among the Programme’s top priorities is the issue of occupational safety and health (OSH).
With the highest number of outdoor work prohibitions in the Gulf area, new legislation in Qatar safeguards workers from heat stress by banning outside work from 1 June to 15 September from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The law also establishes a point at which, regardless of the season or time of day, all outside work must cease.
Labour inspection campaigns in the summers of 2021 and 2022 led to work slowdowns and halts in 338 and 463 worksites respectively for non-compliance with the legislation on prohibited working hours.
Source — https://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/qatar/WCMS_859880/lang--en/index.htm
