आप्रवासी कामदारको हितमा कतार सरकारका यस्ता छन् प्रशंसनीय कदम

काठमाडौ । कतार राज्यमा काम गर्नका लागि पुगेका कामदारको तलव, सुविधा र घरेलु श्रमिकका लागि कतार सरकारले सबै खाले सुविधाको व्यवश्था गरेको छ । न्युनतम ज्यालामा बृद्दि भए यता कतारमा तीन लाख भन्दा बढी आप्रवासी कामदारको ज्यालामा एक हजार रियाल भन्दा बढीले बढोत्तरी भयो । प्रतित महिना एक हजार भन्दा कम आम्दानी भएका श्रमिकको तलव १८ सय रियाल पुग्यो ।

खाना बस्नको राम्रो व्यवश्था भएमा कम्पनीले महिनावारी एक हजार तलव दिने नत्र १८ सय तलव दिनै पर्ने व्यवश्था लागू भयो । कतारको श्रम मन्त्रालयले निकालेको एक रिपोर्टका अनुसार, यो व्यवश्था लागू भएपछि एक हजार रियाल भन्दा कम तलव पाइरहेका तीन लाख ८ हजार एक सय ४६ जनाले १८ सय रियाल तलव पाउंन थालेका थिए ।

कोरोना महामारीको समयमा कामदारहरूलाई काम तथा आम्दानीमा कमी नआओस भनेर कतार सरकारले अनलाइन मार्फत जागिर परिवर्तन गर्न सकिने गरी अनलाइन वेव पोर्टल तयार पार्यो । जसमार्फत दुई लाख ४२ हजार ८ सय सत्तरी जनाले कम्पनि परिवर्तन गरी काम सुचारू गरेका थिए । मन्त्रालयद्वारा जारी रिपोर्टमा भनिएको छ कामदारको सहुलियतको लागि कम्पनिले कन्ट्र्याक्ट समाप्त भएको सुचनादेखि नयां भर्तीसम्मका सबै सुचना अनलाइन मार्फत नै दिइएको थियो । अनलाइन फर्म भरेर कम्पनि परिवर्न गर्न चाहने ९९ हजार जनाको अनुरोध भने विविध कारणले अस्वीकृत भएको थियो ।
आगामि वर्ष २०२२ को नोभेम्बर डिसेम्बरमा फुटबल खेलको महामेला आयोजना गर्न लागेको कतारले अप्रिल २०१८ देखि नै आइएलओको अफिस राजधानी दोहामा राख्न दिएर संगै काम गर्न थालेको हो । हुनत आइएलओको अफिस खुल्नुअघनि नै कतारले आप्रवासी कामदार सम्बन्धि नीति नियममा परिमार्जन गर्न थालिसकेको थियो । आइएलओसंगको सहकार्यपछि भने कतार सरकार आप्रवासी कामदारको हकमा गल्फ राज्य मध्येकै सुधारवादी राज्य बन्न सफल भएको छ ।

कतार सरकारले घरेलु कामदारको हकमा गरेका सुधार तथा प्रयासबारे कतारी श्रम मन्त्रालयको रिपोर्ट भन्छ कतार सरकारले घरेलु श्रमिकको हकमा कानुनमा सुधार गरेको छ । उनीहरूको लागि मानक रोजगारी सम्झौता गरेर अधिकारका लागि सचेतनामुलक कार्यक्रमहरूको आयोजना गर्ने कार्यक्रम कतार सरकारले तय गरेको छ । घरेलु कामदारलाई अन्य कामदार झैं व्यवहार गर्ने, सेवा सुविधा प्रदान गर्ने, आराम तथा बसोवासको व्यवश्था गर्ने लगायत उनीहरूलाई काम चित्त नबुझेको खण्डमा रोजगारदाता परिवर्तन गर्न सक्ने अधिकार कतार सरकारले प्रदान गरेको छ । कतारी श्रम कानुनले तय गरेका अधिकार प्रयोग गरेर श्रम मन्त्रालयले गुनासो टिपाउनका लागि छुट्टै हटलाइनको व्यवश्था गरेको छ भने काम नै गर्न नसक्ने अवश्थामा रहेकाहरू लागि सेल्टरको व्यवश्था गरिएको छ । कतार सरकार पछिल्लो समय नेपालबाट घरेलु श्रमिक लैजाने योजनामा छ । कतारमै झण्डै चार लाख नेपाली घरेलु कामदार सहित विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा कार्यरत छन् ।

Report on the Ministry’s Efforts in the Labour Sector

Report on the Ministry’s
Efforts in the Labour Sector
The labour sector was under the remit of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs prior to the establishment of the standalone Ministry of Labour. This recent step reflects the importance that the State attaches to the labour sector. The mandate of the Ministry of Labour was defined under Amiri Decision No. 57 of 2021 issued on 2021/10/19. The Ministry’s purpose is to upgrade the level of services, support State efforts to develop a legal framework for the labour sector in compliance with international standards for the protection of labour rights, and adopt best practices, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which has a key objective of building a modern and competitive labour market. Enforcement of New Laws on Changing Employer
The Ministry of Labour shall oversee the enforcement of and compliance with the Labour Law. It will ensure the effective implementation of recent legislative amendments, which have introduced drastic changes in the labour sector.
• Abolishment of Exit Permits:
Exit permits have been abolished for workers in ministries and government agencies, public bodies and institutions, the oil and gas sector and affiliated companies, maritime transport, agriculture and farming, and private offices (Ministerial Decision No. 95 of 2019). Exit permits were also abolished for domestic workers, who can now leave without the need for permission from their employer.
• Abolishment of the “No Objection” Requirement to Change Employer:
Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020 amended certain provisions of the law regulating the entry, residence and exit of expats. Under of this decree-law, foreign workers may change employer according to the rules and regulations set out by the Ministry of Labour.
Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 amended certain provisions of the Labour Law to enable both employee and employer to terminate the employment contract without stating the reasons for such termination, provided that due notice is given. The notice must be given one month in advance for the first and second year of employment, and two months in advance after the second year of employment.
• Electronic Notification to Change Employer:
The Ministry has set up an electronic notice service (E-notice) for the termination of contract or change of employer, to
ensure the implementation of the new employee transfer procedures, as per the aforementioned legislative amendments.
Subject Requested Statistics Period
1/10/2020 –
31/10/2021 Reasons for Rejection
Change of
Employer Total Number of Approved
Requests 242,870
Number of
Rejected
Requests 99,814 • Based on worker request.
• Ban on new company.
• Workeer occupation does not match his activity.
Number of
Pending
Requests 2,090
Total Number of Requests 344,774

• Deadline for Changing Employer:
Change of employer must take place during the validity period of the residence permit, unless the latter expired for reasons beyond the control of the foreign worker, or within 90 days of the residence permit’s expiration.
• Secondment of Workers:
Workers may be seconded from one company to another for a renewable period of 6 months. The employer must provide the appendix of the employment contract, signed by the previous employer and employee and ratified by the Ministry of Labour.
Enforcement of the Law on Minimum Wage
Law No. 17 of 2020 Determining the National Minimum Wage for Workers and Domestic Workers was issued. The minimum wage of workers and domestic workers was set under Ministerial Decision No. 25 of 2020, which requires employers to pay workers a basic monthly wage of at least 1,000 QAR. Moreover, if the employer does not provide adequate accommodation or food for the worker, they shall pay a minimum housing allowance of 500 QAR per month and a minimum food allowance of 300 QAR per month.
The minimum wage has been enforced since March 2021. In coordination with employers, the Ministry has amended contracts offering wages lower than the minimum wage stipulated in the aforementioned Ministerial Decision, without prejudice to any agreement entailing higher pay.
Number of Workers Benefitting from the Decision on Minimum Wage between 01/03/2021 and 31/10/2021
No. Statement Number
1 Number of workers paid less than 1,000 QAR before the decision was enforced 308,146
2 Number of workers currently paid less than 1,000 QAR 11,652
3 Number of workers whose contracts have been amended 296,494

•
The Wage Protection System (WPS) is key to implementing and enforcing a non-discriminatory minimum wage. It plays a pivotal role in detecting and addressing wage violations. The Ministry upgraded the Wage Protection System to ensure better clarity and transparency in calculating wages. Allowances for food and housing and overtime pay were integrated into the system’s configuration. The system can also detect payments below the minimum wage. Positive incentives are being considered through “Compliance Certificates” issued to contractors as a prerequisite of submitting tenders for public procurement contracts. More than 1.66 million workers are registered in the Wage Protection System (i.e., %96 of eligible workers). To complement the initiative launched by the Ministry and the Qatar Central Bank to facilitate the opening of bank accounts for domestic workers, a process similar to the Wage Protection System is being considered for domestic workers.
• Enhanced Enforcement of the Law on Domestic Workers and the Adoption of a New Standard Employment Contract:
The Ministry is striving to protect the rights of domestic workers, particularly women who represent a significant proportion thereof, by enhancing the enforcement of the Law on Domestic Workers, adopting a Standard Employment Contract for domestic workers and launching large-scale awareness campaigns on their rights.
The Ministry has recently adopted a new Standard Employment Contract for domestic workers, complementing the provisions set forth by Law No. 15 of 2017. The new contract provides further protection measures in their favour and aligns their rights with those of other workers covered by the Labour Law with regard to maximum working hours, weekly rest days, overtime compensation and sick leaves, similar to other workers in the private sector. Explicit provisions have been introduced regarding termination to enable domestic workers to terminate employment contracts at any time, provided that due notice is given. These measures would grant domestic workers labour market mobility, similar to other workers, as per the latest legislative amendments abolishing the “No Objection Certificate” requirement to change employer.
Subject Requested Statistics Period
01/10/2020 –
31/10/2021
Change of Employer for
Domestic Workers and those of Equivalent Status Approved 3674
The Ministry has been deploying extensive efforts to educate workers on their basic rights through the hotline and through enhanced complaints and litigation mechanisms to ensure access to justice. A department was also established to receive and settle complaints by domestic workers. Awareness campaigns have been organized across several media outlets such as newspapers, TV and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter), in addition to celebrating the International Domestic Workers Day. An awareness video on the rights and responsibilities of domestic workers and an information booklet were translated into 10 languages, in partnership with a non-governmental organization. Furthermore, an information booklet was prepared for employers of domestic workers in Arabic and English. These tools have been widely disseminated through the press, social media, government agencies and the International Domestic Workers Federation.
During the COVID19- crisis, the Ministry coordinated with the Qatar Central Bank to enable all workers to continue to transfer funds to their families in their home countries, to provide all necessary facilitations to open bank accounts for domestic workers and to exempt them from the minimum threshold for opening an account. To complement this initiative, a process similar to the Wage Protection System is being considered for domestic workers.
Enhancing the Complaints Mechanism and Settling Labour Disputes
The Ministry is taking the necessary measures to develop and improve complaints mechanisms. To simplify the process of lodging complaints for domestic workers, the Ministry offers several modern and facilitated channels, such as the 7/24 hotline service, smart applications and the Amerni mobile app. The Ministry has recently launched the “Unified Platform for Complaints and Whistle-blowers” to enable members of society, including employees and workers in the private sector and domestic workers, to file complaints digitally. The system also offers a reporting service enabling all citizens and residents to report general violations of the Labour Law via the platform, which is designed to be compatible with all modern browsers and smartphones.

Subject Requested Statistics Period
2021/10/31 – 2020/10/01
Labour
Relations
Department
Labour disputes and complaints Main types of
complaints
received by the Labour Relations
Department End-of-Service
Compensation 17577
Leave Compensation 15614
Delayed Wages 12587
Travel Tickets 11326
Overtime Compensation 2120
Resignation
Acceptance 2863

Furthermore, the Ministry is seeking to provide legal consultation to workers or employees with the help of its pool of translators covering all languages spoken by foreign workers. Interpreters are also available at the Dispute Settlement Committees, whose services are available for workers without any fees. If the worker or employee wishes to receive legal advice (at any stage of the complaint process), they may meet with a legal expert from the Labour Relations Department during official working hours
Subject Requested Statistics Period
10/01/2020 –
31/10/2021
Labour Relations Department Labour disputes and complaints Breakdown of
Complaints
Received from the Labour
Relations
Department Complaints Settled 18478
Complaints under Consideration 202
Cases referred to
Labour Dispute
Settlement
Committees 5970
Total 24650

The Ministry has established a special department for processing complaints by domestic workers, in addition to a new department to review complaints that progress from the settlement stage to litigation. This is to ensure that all pending cases are processed. A bureau in charge of enforcing the decisions of the Labour Dispute Committees has been established at the Ministry’s headquarters to expedite and complete judicial paperwork on the spot and to ensure the prompt enforcement of decisions executed electronically, such as the seizure of company assets and properties. The bureau also ensures direct digital linkage between competent government authorities. The Ministry is working on increasing the number of Labour Dispute Settlement Committees to cope with the rising number of labour disputes and to guarantee workers’ access to their rights and expedite litigation procedures. Furthermore, the Ministry carries out regular comprehensive assessments of labour complaint mechanisms, settlement processes and the Labour Dispute Settlement Committees.
Subject Requested
Statistics Period
31/10/2021 – 01/10/2020
Labour Dispute
Settlement
Committees Cases referred to the Labour
Dispute Settlement Committees 5177
Decisions made by the Labour
Dispute Settlement Committees 4038
Decisions being processed (under deliberation –
(preliminary 1139

Adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Policy
The Occupational Safety and Health Policy was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and in consultation with the representatives of employers and workers. The Policy is specifically aimed at enhancing the Work-Related Injury and Occupational Disease Registration System, improving data collection and analysis, raising public awareness, promoting training, developing inspections and sharing best practices between authorities at the various levels of the national occupational safety and health system. A comprehensive file on health, safety and environment was also developed in collaboration with the ILO and the UK’s Health and Safety Executive. The ILO will soon issue a report prepared by an independent expert on work-related injury and death data in the State of Qatar.
Protection of Workers from Heat Stress
Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2021 specifying measures to protect workers from heat stress was issued, which extended the prohibition of work during summer months from June 1 to September 15 of every year, whereby no work is to be carried out from 10:00 am until 3:30 pm. The new legislation introduced significant changes, such as specifying the maximum temperature above which all work shall be suspended and granting workers the right to set the pace of work themselves and to take breaks when needed. The Ministry also carries out annual awareness and inspection campaigns to ensure compliance with the prohibition of work in outdoor places during summer and the protection of workers from heat stress. These efforts have greatly contributed to the reduction of injuries, and the field visits carried out by Ministry inspectors to workplaces between last June and September 15 have resulted in 338 violation reports and the suspension of the activities of establishments that were found in violation of the laws.
Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons
The National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, established by Council of Ministers Decision No. 15 of 2017, undertakes national coordination efforts to monitor, prevent and combat trafficking in persons, by coordinating with competent authorities, intensifying awareness and inspection campaigns, strengthening international cooperation, sharing experiences and holding several training sessions to build the capacities of the authorities and individuals entrusted with combating trafficking in persons, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the ILO and the U.S. and UK embassies. The Committee also seeks to protect and assist victims, by offering them adequate shelters. Dar Al-Aman was established to provide an integrated shelter and a healthy and inclusive social environment for the provision of protection and rehabilitation services for target groups (particularly female domestic workers). Recently, the Humanitarian Care Home was established to provide protection and social welfare services to workers in need. The Humanitarian Care Home also offers legal assistance and protection to victims of trafficking in persons and seeks to rehabilitate them and reintegrate them into society, in addition to providing them with temporary shelter until their depart from Qatar.
Statistics on Crimes of Trafficking in Persons in 2021
No. Reports Number of Persons Accused
1 37 35
Fifty-seven inspection campaigns related to crimes of trafficking in persons have so far been carried out across the country.
The Ministry’s Efforts during the COVID-19 Crisis
The Ministry has been collaborating with competent authorities to take the necessary precautionary measures to protect workers and support employers since the outbreak of the COVID19- pandemic.
Regulating the contractual relationship between employers and workers during the crisis:
To ensure the sustainability of businesses and job retention, the Ministry has allowed employers who have abided by government directives requiring them to suspend their activities to give workers an unpaid leave or their annual leave, to reduce their working hours or to lower their wages temporarily, provided that they continue to offer adequate food and accommodation for their workers free of charge. Employers and workers were not allowed to agree on reducing or suspending these benefits. As for workers who were in self-isolation or quarantine or undergoing treatment, they were to receive their basic wages and allowances.
In the event of having to terminate employment contracts, the termination should be undertaken in full compliance with the provisions of the Labour Law and the contract. Employers were required to respect the notice period, pay all outstanding dues and cover the cost of the worker’s return ticket. Furthermore, employers were required to provide food and accommodation to workers until all arrangements were made for their return to their country of origin at the employer’s expense.
To facilitate re-employment within the local labour market during the crisis, the Ministry, in collaboration with Qatar Chamber, developed a digital platform for re-employment, enabling companies to recruit workers laid off due to the repercussions of COVID19-.
E-contracts signed from 01/10/2020 until 31/10/2021
No. Description Number
1 Number of E-contracts signed between workers and employers 878,501
• Awareness Efforts:
The Ministry sought to raise workers’ awareness of precautionary measures against COVID19- and took a series of measures in this regard, including, in particular, the issuance of an awareness leaflet for workers and the development of awareness videos published in newspapers, audio-visual media outlets and social media. The Ministry also sent awareness text messages to employers, workers and domestic workers in several different languages, strengthened its partnerships with associations and civil society organizations and implemented numerous awareness initiatives in collaboration with various governmental and non-governmental entities, particularly Qatar Charity and the Ministry of Transport and Communications through the Better Connections Programme. Lastly, the Ministry maintained continuous engagement with labour attachés and labour communities in the State of Qatar, as well as with Joint Committees, to ensure their inclusion in awareness and prevention efforts.
Subject Requested Statistics Total Number of
Awareness Initiatives and Campaigns
Raising
Awareness Number of awareness initiatives and campaigns undertaken by
the Ministry 5,444
“Ministry policy on the measures to be undertaken by companies in places of work and accommodation to protect workers and limit the spread of COVID19-”
The Ministry issued a series of directives to be implemented by companies in places of work and accommodation to protect workers. It also launched the “Conscious” campaign to raise awareness and offer guidance on the Ministry’s policy. Between April 5 and April 22 of 2020, the campaign led to the following outcomes:
4,151 field visits to workplaces and workers’ accommodation were undertaken; 88,000 awareness messages were disseminated; 572,754 text messages were sent to employers; and the awareness activities reached 271,174 workers in total.
• Monitoring and Sanctions:
The Ministry carried out strict inspection campaigns in workplaces and workers’ accommodation to identify companies violating the Ministry’s policy and directives on the precautionary measures against COVID19-. These campaigns resulted:
Monitoring and Sanctions
NO Required stats number
1 inspection visits 7204
2 warnings to resolve the violation 428
3 establishments added to the ban list 4718
4 violation tickets issued 437
Results of inspection campaigns

the ban list
• Industrial Area:
The Ministry provided food items and daily meals to residents of the Industrial Area and ensured that their wages were being paid. The Ministry also opened an office at the quarantine zone and formed a team that worked 7/24 to support those who were placed in quarantine, coordinate their entry and exit and provide their basic needs free of charge.
• Provision of Support and Assistance and Dispute Resolution: A hotline and SMS service was provided to receive complaints and respond to enquiries 7/24, with the help of a specialised team offering services in 10 different languages. Through this service, the Ministry received:
– A total of 26,337 telephone calls (23,502 from workers and 2,835 from employers) – 4,647 text messages
– 2,287 complaints via email
– 1,568 complaints via the Amerni mobile app