Qatar abolishes kafala labor system

[Zain Itrat]

DOHA: Qatar on Monday formally announced the end of its controversial kafala system, arguably the biggest ever labor reform undertaken by the 2022 football World Cup host nation. In a long-expected announcement, Labor Minister Issa bin Saad Al-Jafali Al-Nuaimi said the kafala rules would be abolished effective Dec. 13.

He said a contract-based system to govern the countrys 2.1 million foreign workers would take its place.

Under kafala, all foreign workers employed in Qatar require a local sponsor, in the form of an individual or company, and need their permission to switch jobs or leave the country.

The new law is the latest step toward improving and protecting the rights of every expatriate worker in Qatar, Nuaimi said.


It replaces the kafala system with a modernized, contract-based system that safeguards workers rights and increases job flexibility.

Freedom of movement is guaranteed under the new rules, said Qatari officials, including giving workers the right to change jobs.

Any workers mistreated will automatically be allowed to change jobs, said officials.

The exit visa formally needed to leave the country under kafala will be abolished, although workers will still need their employers permission to leave.

An appeals committee has been established for expats who are denied permission to leave, and that committee will begin work on Tuesday.

Employers who confiscate workers passports could be fined QR25,000 ($6,800, 6,400 euros), up from QR10,000 under kafala.

The new law should also offer greater contract protection, officials said.


Source

 

[Spartacus]

A new Qatri Law is already in practice and some elite got big help because of this new Law .
This law name is " Qatri Khat ".
" Qatari Khat = Qatri Letter " help out elite class of Pakistani MAFIA against any type of law matter problem.

 

[v r imran k]

very Good Decsion indeed all other gulf countries should fallow specaily saudi arabia

 

[Will_Bite]

It remains to be seen how effective these changes will be. On the face of it, these changes are cosmetic, and are announced merely to appease the world ahead of the football world cup in 2022.

Most of the provisions announced in the new law are already in place in the form of some law.
Employers can not hold employees passports.
Employers cannot force an employee to work with them. At worst, they can let him go and ban him.
Employers have to pay the cost of recruiting a worker.

But all of the above are regularly flaunted by employers because of lack of enforcement, or general ignorance on part of workers. Employers routinely deduct visa costs from workers salaries. They routinely hold employee passports. They routinely hold them from leaving, even after contract expiry. Issue is with enforcement of existing laws. Not enacting new laws.

 

[Spartacus]

http://www.bbc.com/urdu/world-38298612

 

[TurePakistani]

That's really bad, now what will happen to our SHARIF family. Un ki kon kafalat kare ga????

 

[Complete Sense]

This law is just a bookish law. Their is no implementation, because of arab people mind set. Rich will remain the authority on the poor and expat workers. By not holding employee's passport cannot give employer freedom because in any case, to go out of country expat workers need permission from their company.