Qatar government’s announcement on Wednesday about its intention to enact wide-ranging labour market reforms has evoked mixed reactions among expatriates living in the country.
While many expressed disappointment as the government did not give any timeframe for the amendments to come into force, others welcomed the new provision to change jobs, whereas some others stressed the need for clarity.
Qatar had also declared changes to the current Kafala (sponsorship), No Objection Certificate and exit permit systems, and reiterated the government intends to strengthen existing labour laws and improve the living and working conditions of all workers in the country.
A cross-section of expatriates who spoke to Gulf Times yesterday said they were “disappointed as the announcements were just proposals.” Many of them said that the announcement “fell short of their expectations” while many others were confused over the proposals.
The most common sentiment was that “expectations were high given that we have been hearing about the proposed changes to the existing labour laws for quite some time.”
An Indian expatriate said that “everyone expected major changes and not proposals. So now we will have to wait for the actual changes to take place.”
Another expatriate was of the view that “it will take more time for the actual changes as the proposals will have to go through various stakeholders. As explained by the officials, the proposals have to be discussed and deliberated at various levels and may be there are further amendments. We will wait hoping for the best.”
Another concern raised by expatriates is the proposal regarding exit permit. “This is a grey area as there is no clear indication on how the exit permit will be issued. Moreover, it is still not clear how people can apply to get the exit permit on emergency,” a resident said.
There were many expatriates who welcomed the recommendation to switch jobs after the term of the contract. “This will help the workers choose their employers once their contract is over. However, what happens if the employees resign or get sacked before the end of the contract is another question,” said an Asian engineer.
Some of the expatriates welcomed the move to do away with the period of ban. One expatriate said: “This will help many of us join other companies when we complete the contract with our present employers. It will also give us more choice and opportunity to work with better companies on better salary. This will help talented and skilled people find better opportunities.”
However, many expatriates felt that the proposals were confusing and needed more clarity on many counts. “There are some issues that need more clarification. What happens if an employee loses his job before the completion of the job? Will he be absorbed by other companies or will the sponsor raise any objections?” asked another expatriate.
Similarly, the new proposal for the exit permit is another issue of concern. One of them observed: “If a person has planned for vacation and if the sponsor objects it, what will be the outcome. How can such situations be tackled?. Moreover, if a person is denied the exit permit on the sponsor’s intervention how can he leave the country?”
