Kafala rules abolished in Qatar

Qatar on Monday formally announced the end of its controversial “kafala” system, the biggest ever labor reform undertaken by the host of the 2022 football World Cup. In a long-expected

announcement, Labor Minister Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi said the “kafala” rules would be abolished from Dec. 13. He said a contract-based system to govern the gas-rich Gulf emirate’s 2.1 million foreign workers would take its place. Under “kafala,” all foreign workers working 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 go home. An appeals committee has been established for expats who are denied permission to leave, and that committee has begun work yesterday. Employers who confiscate workers’ passports could be fined 25,000 riyals ($6,800, 6,400 euros), up from 10,000 riyals under “kafala.”

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