The Gulf Health Council (GHC) – the regional body responsible for coordinating health policies in Gulf states – has updated its regulations - Opens in new tab for the WAFID Programme - Opens in new tab, expanding the role of the GHC and introducing a Grievance Committee.
Established in 1995, the WAFID programme is a unified medical screening system that determines whether foreign nationals applying for work or residency visas are “medically fit” to enter Gulf countries. WAFID oversees a network of accredited medical centres in the countries of origin in the Global South. The programme currently operates through more than 880 accredited medical centers - Opens in new tab in 30 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia.
Those seeking employment in Qatar, however, are exempted from WAFID medical testing and apply directly through the Qatar Visa Center (QVC), the Qatari government’s official visa processing system. The QVC operates offices in several labour-sending countries and manages multiple pre-departure procedures, including biometric data collection and medical examinations conducted in on-site laboratories as part of the visa application process.
Since its establishment, the WAFID programme has undergone several updates and revisions, including its latest regulatory framework - Opens in new tab.
The latest revision includes an article establishing a Grievance Committee to review grievance and appeal applications submitted by health facilities and other related stakeholders, including migrants.
The revised regulation also expands the role of the GHC. For example, the GHC or its representatives are now required to “conduct analytical scientific studies on the causes and sources of health unfitness cases.” While the previous regulations focused on penalties and enforcement measures against accredited medical centers in sending countries, the revised regulation introduces explicit penalty provisions related to medically “unfit” applicants.
WAFID examines millions of migrants every year. In 2023 - Opens in new tab, nearly three million applicants underwent medical tests, and around 155,000 were declared medically unfit. To retain licenses, medical centers must comply with stringent technical and operational standards. If their test results are inaccurate or fail to meet GHC standards, they may face fines and, in some cases, lose their WAFID accreditation altogether.
WAFID’s pre-departure medical examinations are distinct from the domestic immigration and health policies of GCC states. Once applicants are classified as “fit” by WAFID-accredited medical centers, they are granted entry visas to the respective Gulf country. On arrival, they often undergo another medical examination to verify the accuracy of the first test, unless the initial testing is done through an official visa processing center, such as the QVC.
The WAFID programme has been criticized in the past for rejecting applicants before screening due to “visible injury or problems like skin damage or a squint - Opens in new tab.” Others have complained of being unfairly classified as “unfit for work” because of lung scarring from past tuberculosis infections, even when fully treated and posing no further risk.
In the past, ‘GAMCA’ centres have also faced allegations of corruption, with recruitment agents reportedly charging workers extra fees in exchange for securing a “fit” certificate. Workers then fail the second test carried out on arrival. However, under the recent regulations, WAFID centres can now face fines or even risk losing their accreditation if workers certified by them are subsequently found to be medically unfit in the receiving country.
Speaking to MRRORS, workers and civil society activists accused WAFID centres of charging online booking fees and imposing additional costs for vaccinations and other procedures arbitrarily.
The system also places a significant burden on workers who are issued an “unfit” certificate, as they are barred from retaking the medical test for three months. Furthermore, each GCC state has a separate certification, with a distinct set of requirements. Subsequently, if an applicant undergoes screening for Oman, but is eventually denied the job offer, he/she would have to wait three months to undergo medical tests again for another country, even if the applicant receives a ‘fit’ certificate in the first instance.
Recruitment agents in sending countries also told MRRORS that female applicants in particular are often referred for dermatological consultations, to remove moles or birthmarks, or for acne treatment -conditions that do not impact a worker's productivity. The regulations further stipulate that a female applicant “shall not be pregnant and free of all types of vaginal bleeding, uterine prolapse, and breast tumors.”
The new regulations will come into force from the date of approval by the GCC Health Ministers Council and the issuance of a decision adopting its implementation. On 17 May 2026, the Ministry of Health in Kuwait published a resolution - Opens in new tab to implement the revised WAFID regulations.
