By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter
A total of 225 expatriates were given temporary sponsorship transfer while 251 were given permanent transfer from January 1 to April 29 this year through the Search and Follow up Department (SFD) of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), a senior official said yesterday.
“The SFD received and handled some 877 complaints during the same period about sponsors misusing their rights and abusing the rights of their employees,” explained Brigadier Nasser Mohamed al-Sayed, SFD director.
He was giving a presentation at the first “Consultative meeting on combating trafficking in persons in Qatar” on the experiences and efforts of SDF and MoI in general on related issues, in particular helping expatriate workforce to avoid exploitation and regain their full rights.
The meeting, which concludes today, is jointly organised by Qatar Foundation for Social Protection and Rehabilitation (QFSPR) and the UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region.
“During the whole of 2013, the SFD legal office received 1,046 complaints, which resulted in 149 expatriates being given temporary sponsorship transfer and 207 permanent transfer,” the official recalled.
“In case of a legal dispute and a case being dealt with at the courts, employees are given temporary transfer until the issue is resolved by the court. But, when it is proven that the employer or sponsor abused the rights of the employee, a permanent transfer is granted to the employee. He can look for a job and in case it was difficult for him or her to get a timely and adequate job to transfer on, we try to help by using our contacts with local companies and entities to find him a suitable position,” pointed out SFD director.
“There is an electronic link among the various departments of government and around the clock coordination to properly and timely handle any potential complaints of rights abuse by expatriate workers,” he maintained.
Regarding the issue of absconding housemaids Brigadier al-Sayed observed it is a phenomenon seen in all GCC countries.
“At one time, we managed to capture a gang that used to lure housemaids into running away from her sponsors with promises of better and highly paid jobs. The agents used to approach maids, when they go out to deposit garbage in trash cans, and give mobile phones with SIM cards, and then start to contact them and encourage them to run away, with the promise of a better life,” he said.
The MoI paid the expenses for 2,758 repatriation air tickets in 2013 for those who had to leave the country or opted to leave but could not afford the expenses. This year so far, the number of such free tickets amounted to 2,922, he added.
