Labour Law Reforms Advancing Decent Work for Domestic Workers in Qatar
0-1 Original language
English
I-1 Name of the initiative
Labour Law Reforms Advancing Decent Work for Domestic Workers in Qatar
I-2 Geographical coverage
QAT
I-2-A Region/country
Qatar
I-2-R Region
Arab States
I-2-T Geographical scope
Country
I-3-A Initiative start date
2017
I-4 Leading entity/organization
Government
I-5 Collaborating entities/organizations
Workers' organization
I-5-A Specification
__EMPTY__
I-6 Has the ILO been involved in the initiative?
Yes
I-6-A Specify how the ILO was involved
Through the technical cooperation programme with the State of Qatar, the ILO has closely worked with the Ministry of Labour to support the labour reforms. The ILO Project Office provides technical advice on legislation and policies based on international labour standards and best practices. In addition, the ILO supports the Ministry’s efforts in enhancing systems and building capacities of different institutions to ensure workers’ rights are better safeguarded and to modernize labour relations. Domestic work is a key area of work under the technical cooperation programme.
I-7 Is there collaboration with other agencies of the United Nations System or other partners?
No
II-1 Justification of the initiative
As a historically overlooked sector, domestic work has lacked adequate legal safeguards worldwide. Workers in Qatar previously required permission from their employers, in the form of a No Objection Certificate (NOC), in order to change jobs. This made workers (including migrant domestic workers) overly dependent on their employers, and created opportunities for unscrupulous employers to exploit them. Additionally, before the Minimum Wage Law came into force, workers in Qatar were not protected against unduly low pay. Over the past years, Qatar has undertaken labour reforms aimed at promoting decent work, fair treatment, and improved legal protections for all workers, including domestic workers.
II-10 Focus on other branches of economic activity
Others
II-11 Focus on certain categories of enterprises or economic units according to their size
Not applicable
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employees
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employers
II-13 Focus on other specific categories of workers and employers, not captured elsewhere
Domestic workers
II-13 Focus on other specific categories of workers and employers, not captured elsewhere
Employers of care workers
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Women
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Men
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Migrants or forcibly displaced persons
II-15 Has the initiative been developed through effective social dialogue processes and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms?
Yes, through social dialogue
II-15 Has the initiative been developed through effective social dialogue processes and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms?
Yes, inter-institutional coordination mechanisms
II-2 Objectives and description of the initiative
Qatar has introduced several reforms that aimed at enhancing domestic workers’ rights and strengthen their legal protection. While the Qatar’s Labour Law governs workers in the private sector, Qatar has adopted Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers (hereafter referred to as Domestic Workers’ Law) that explicitly recognizes domestic work as work and defines core protections. In addition to this law, Qatar’s Ministry of Labour has also introduced a unified standard employment contract for domestic workers. Qatar has also established 14 Qatar Visa Centres in six major countries of origin, from which many domestic workers also hail. These centres facilitate the workers’ biometric scan, medical check-up and signing of the employment contract before departure. From 2018 to 2020, Qatar adopted a series of legislation to dismantle the most problematic aspects of the kafala system – mainly the removal of the exit permit and ‘No Objection Certificate’ needed to change jobs. In 2020, Qatar became the first country in the region to adopt a universal, non-discriminatory minimum wage, which applies to all workers regardless of their occupation or nationality, including domestic workers. The Ministry of Labour has also worked on raising awareness of workers and employers’ rights to promote decent work in the domestic work sector. It published and disseminated the “Know Your Rights” booklet for domestic workers in Qatar in 12 languages and the “Guide to Employing Migrant Domestic Workers in Qatar” booklet for employers in two languages. In addition to workers and employers, the Ministry also delivered trainings to private recruitment agencies on awareness of relevant legal frameworks and provided the agencies with practical guidance on fair recruitment and managing possible disputes between domestic workers and employers.
II-3 Type of initiative
National/local law
II-3 Type of initiative
Policy / strategy
II-3 Type of initiative
Advocacy/campaign/awareness-raising
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Reward care workers
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Representation of care workers
II-5 Which is the main policy area of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Labour Protection policies
II-6 Which other policy areas of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Migration policies
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Promote employment and macroeconomic policies that create decent jobs in the care economy
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Preventing and addressing all forms of discrimination against care workers
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Ensuring effective access to labour protection and social security, including through labour inspection, for all care workers
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Promoting the voice and representation of, and consulting with, care worker organizations, organizations of employers of care workers and unpaid family carers
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Paid care workers (nurses, domestic workers, teachers, childcare workers, personal assistants, etc.)
II-9 Geographical scope
Urban and rural
III-1 In a short paragraph, summarize the main results and impacts obtained
Complementing the national legislation, the standard employment contract for domestic workers aligns domestic workers’ rights with those of other private sector workers in relation to overtime payment, termination of employment and sick leave entitlements. The Qatar Visa Centres ensure that domestic workers sign their standard employment contracts prior to departing for Qatar, helping to prevent contract deception and substitution. By institutionalizing and facilitating domestic workers’ employment contracts, Qatar aims to reduce ambiguity, facilitate understanding between workers and employers, and curtail exploitative practices that often stem from informal arrangements.Qatar’s abolition of the ‘No Objection Certificate in 2020’ – which legally required workers to gain permission from employers to switch jobs – marked a step towards enhancing labour mobility for all workers, including domestic workers. Since then, statistics have shown that many domestic workers have applied for employment change, with 3,399 applications to change jobs approved for domestic workers in the first nine months of 2024.While Qatar’s Ministry of Labour has led efforts to adopt labour reforms, the International Domestic Workers’ Federation (IDWF) and its local partners have helped bridge the gap between legal reform and implementation. IDWF has mobilized different community groups of domestic workers and built their capacity on a range of topics including on the domestic workers’ law, occupational safety and health, and support services available to domestic workers. The IDWF has also assisted in referring these cases for legal action and has provided basic legal support, including coordination with Ministry of Labour and relevant stakeholders. These efforts have not only enhanced domestic workers’ awareness of their rights but also contributed to their access to justice.
III-2 Explanation of the innovative element of the initiative for advancing decent work in the care economy
The innovative element of this initiative lies in how Qatar has combined legal reform, enforcement mechanisms and practical safeguards into one framework to strengthen (migrant) domestic worker’s rights and protections.
IV-1 What were the main challenges or difficulties during the design and implementation? How were they faced/ addressed?
Despite major reforms, domestic workers still face key vulnerabilities, particularly around implementation. While workers were able to benefit from the labour mobility reforms, some domestic workers face retaliation in the form of cancelation of residency permits, filing absconding charges or reporting theft cases. Workers can still overcome these threats, but this often amounts to a bureaucratic and time-consuming process, and many workers may lack the necessary information about their rights or how to navigate the system. Further, the high fees associated with the recruitment of domestic workers influences employers’ expectations, attitudes, and treatment of workers. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Labour have set nationality-based price caps on the recruitment of domestic workers that range from QAR 9,000 for domestic workers from Ethiopia to QAR 17,000 for domestic workers from Indonesia. These relatively high recruitment fees paid by employers can lead to restrictions on workers’ mobility and other adverse outcomes.
IV-2 Lessons learned and good practices, including room and opportunities for improvement
Due to the employer-worker relationship under the kafala system, effective implementation of reforms required a holistic understanding and analysis of intersecting elements of the labour and immigration regulations. To address the challenge of some unscrupulous employers cancelling workers’ residency permits or filing false absconding charges as a form of retaliation to workers changing jobs, a closer coordination between the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Interior processes was required. The domestic workers’ groups mobilized and supported by IDWF in coordination with MOL and ILO have played a vital role in raising awareness on a range of issues including the Domestic Workers’ Law, complaint mechanisms, and occupational safety and health. In addition to building the capacity of the domestic workers’ community leaders, MOL and ILO engage with the groups on various policies and programmes to ensure domestic workers’ voices are heard and included in the planning and implementation processes. Due to the unique employment relationship in the domestic work sector, workers and employers have to navigate the realms of a private household and work. Understanding employer’s perceptions and practices is essential in promoting decent work in the sector as employers largely define the working and living conditions.
IV-3 Key conditions for success
Adoption of the Domestic Workers’ Law has ensured legal recognition of domestic workers and formalization of domestic work. The strong commitment from the State of Qatar driven by the Ministry of Labour led to the adoption of the labour reforms. The inclusion of the domestic work sector in the labour reforms have extended legal protection to domestic workers, often the most vulnerable group of workers.Engagement of relevant stakeholders is critical to understand how different stakeholders contribute to and shape the sector. Recognizing and reflecting the voices of workers and employers in shaping policies and programmatic interventions further led to decent work in the domestic work sector.
IV-4 Key conditions for sustainability
While the labour reforms adopted by Qatar have been extended to cover domestic workers, it is equally important to continue ensuring effective implementation of the legislation, including promotion and enforcement of compliance. Increased awareness amongst workers, employers, and the wider community, with a focus on driving behavioural change to address the root causes of existing challenges in the sector remains crucial to ensure decent work.
IV-5 Potential for transferability, expansion and replicability in other countries and contexts
Qatar’s reforms to extend labour protections to (migrant) domestic workers represents a potentially transferable model for countries in the region and beyond. Replicable elements include: Legal recognition of domestic work as formal employment. Preventative mechanisms against exploitation, such as the establishment of Visa Centres in countries of origin.Universal, non-discriminatory minimum wage coverageAbolition of restrictive requirements to job-change.
V-1 Sources of information and documents used on the characteristics of the initiative, including links to websites, news items, toolkits, policy documents or reports
ILO, 2022. Labour reforms in the State of Qatar: Coming together around a shared visionILO progress reports available in the ILO Qatar websiteMOL, 2021. Know Your Rights: A booklet for domestic workers in QatarMOL, 2021. Guide to Employing a Migrant Domestic Worker in Qatar