An investigation by Amnesty International found that Mercury MENA took advantage of the sponsorship system in Qatar to exploit workers, failing to pay them thousands of dollars in wages and benefits, and leaving them stranded in Qatar. Amnesty found that the wage delays occurred from February 2016 onwards, remaining unresolved in 2017. Mercury MENA also failed to provide residence permits to workers, restricting their ability to move jobs or leave the country. Mercury MENA also hired recruitment agents who illegally charged fees.

In 2019 it was reported that some workers had had to sell property to pay for medical bills after their company-covered insurance expired, and in some cases were unwell because they could not afford treatment. Workers also had to take out loans to cover debts racked up whilst they waited for wages to be paid, were unable to pay for their children's education and faced having their homes and land reposessed to cover the amounts owed.