Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri meeting ambassadors from the nations that have qualified for the World Cup. He apprised the envoys of labour sector reforms implemented by Qatar.
Doha: Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri held a discussion with ambassadors of the countries that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, with the aim of apprising them of the latest developments regarding the work environment and workplaces in Qatar.
The meeting was organised as part of the Ministry of Labour’s endeavours to maintain continuous communication and keeping an open channel with the various ambassadors in Doha, and to review legislative developments and updates in addition to the executive mechanisms that have been implemented over the past years to improve the work environment.
Dr. Al Marri said Qatar being awarded the honour of holding the World Cup was one of the key factors in accelerating the pace of development of labour legislation, noting that Qatar dealt with the World Cup case not only as an opportunity to invest in the infrastructure, rather an opportunity to review and develop laws and procedures regulating labour market and workers’ rights.
During his speech at the meeting, he underlined that all the legislative updates and improvements witnessed by the labour sector during the past years are continuous and sustainable that will be pursued after the World Cup, stressing that the development of legislation in the labour sector has become a strategic option for Qatar, both in the short and long terms.
The Minister noted that close genuine partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and many other international bodies contributed remarkably to supporting and promoting development in the work environment in Qatar, adding that Qatar and ILO signed a technical cooperation agreement in 2017, strengthening their partnership.
He said Qatar has been able to trigger a positive change in recent years in the field of the labour market, as many laws and procedures have been introduced and updated to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers, noting that such improvements are taking place on the work environment to achieve the desired goals.
Within the same context, the Minister of Labour congratulated the attending ambassadors on the qualification of their national teams to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, stressing that Qatar will work to organise one of the most wonderful football tournaments that have been organised throughout history.
Qatar has worked over the past years to update and develop a number of legislations and laws in the work environment, most notably the abolition of the exit permit from the country, the nullification of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the previous employer, the establishment of a non-discriminatory minimum wage, and the establishment of visa centres (QVCs) in labour-sending countries to speed up the recruitment process and ensure that workers are not subjected to any forms of abuse in their countries of origin.
Moreover, it established a support and insurance fund for workers to protect and guarantee their financial rights and promote a safe and healthy work environment, and take measures to protect workers from the risks of heat stress, while extending the period during which workers may not be assigned to work under the scorching sun rays, the establishment of labour dispute settlement committees, and introducing a wage protection system.
Among the efforts also taken was tightening oversight to ensure compliance with approved standards for occupational health and safety in workplaces and labour accommodation. It is worthy to note that a law was promulgated to regulate and protect the rights of domestic workers. In April 2021, the Shura Council ratified a new draft law providing for mandatory health insurance for all residents and visitors.
