New laws adopted today by the State of Qatar are a game changer in the protection of workers’ rights. Migrant workers are now free to leave their jobs and seek alternative employment following a notice period. This new law brings to an end the undue control that employers have had over workers’ lives. In addition, the establishment of the first minimum wage in the Gulf States is a historic milestone. 400,000 migrant workers will have a 33 percent increase in their wages. The minimum wage of QAR 1800 (USD 494) – including food and accommodation – will cover all workers, including domestic workers.

“Qatar has regularised its industrial relations system and dismantled the systematic power imbalance between workers and employers. These changes are a break with the past and offer a future for migrant workers in Qatar underpinned by laws which respect workers, along with grievance and remedy systems,” said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation.