Qatar - June 2024

On 24 June, Qatar's Shura Council proposed labour reforms, including the reintroduction of exit permits for domestic workers. The Council's reintroduction is intended to address citizen complaints about domestic workers leaving the country without informing their employers in advance. Under the proposed regulations, domestic workers would be required to obtain their employers' permission before leaving the country, with the application process facilitated through an online portal. Workers would need to submit their requests at least five days in advance and could appeal if permission is denied. Rights groups have raised concerns that, if the motion is accepted, it would undermine Qatar's earlier reforms in this area and increase the vulnerability of domestic workers to employer abuse, such as wage theft, which is already a prevalent issue in the country. Despite the visa sponsorship (kafala) system largely remaining unchanged, reforms made in 2018 and 2020 allowed most migrant and domestic workers in Qatar to leave the country without needing formal permission from their employers. If introduced, the new system would work for the authorities to manage the exit application and approval process while also identifying unauthorized departures. 

Sources: The Shura Council of Qatar, Qatar News Agency, Migrant Rights