Qatar's Kafala reforms: A ready reckoner
November 19, 2016
Qatar
Latest articles
Worker on Qatar Rail project leaves country after months of distress
November 13, 2016
An abusive sub-contractor gets way with impunity on Qatar's most important infrastructure project.
Undocumented workers buy time to avail amnesty in Qatar
October 23, 2016
[STORIES OF ORIGIN] Stripped of Humanity: A Migrant’s Tale
September 23, 2016
Bal Krishna Gautam endured two years of humiliation and avoidable illness in Qatar, with no access to a bathroom and spoilt food for lunch. His agonizing tale is an indictment of Gulf labour practices.
[Stories of Origin] Same story, different countries
September 11, 2016
The all-pervasive kafala, or sponsorship system, allows Gulf citizens and employers to exercise complete and absolute power over migrant workers. Moving from Saudi to Qatar to Kuwait, Mobeen Ahmed’s story is but one amongst a few million migrant experiences across the GCC region.
Latest In Brief
February 16, 2025
Qatar’s Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund: Tall Claims and Not Enough Data
The executive director of Qatar’s Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund (WSIF), Kholoud Saif Abdullah Al Kubaisi, recently stated that “over 130,000 workers have benefitted from the fund since its establishment, including its significant contribution to protecting their rights and ensuring that they receive their financial dues.” Though Al Kubaisi spoke of the fund’s transparency and its role alongside wider reforms in “reducing labour disputes and complaints,” there are still several issues that remain unaddressed.
February 14, 2025
Qatar Launches Amnesty for Migrants with Irregular Immigration Status
Qatar has launched a three-month amnesty period starting from 9 February 2025, allowing foreign residents with irregular immigration status to exit the country without penalties. It is not clear if residents would be able to regularise their status. Workers can exit the country through Hamad International Airport, or alternatively, they can visit the Search and Follow-up Department on Salwa Road to complete departure procedures within the specified period.
June 26, 2024
Qatar’s Shura Council has suggested reintroducing exit permits for domestic workers,
Qatar’s Shura Council has suggested reintroducing exit permits for domestic workers, though it has rephrased the practice as ‘obtaining employer approval’ at least five days before departure.
September 13, 2022
Rejection of job change requests on the rise in Qatar
The number of requests for job changes and rejections are on the rise in Qatar. Moreover, the rejections of new recruitment requests have also increased drastically in the last several months, likely in an effort to reduce the number of migrant workers in the country ahead of the World Cup.
June 28, 2022
Qatar: Compulsory health insurance system introduced
Qatar's new compulsory private health insurance system for all non-citizen residents, including visitors and those employed in the public and private sectors, is being rolled out in phases. The full text of the law's executive regulations have not yet been made public.