Migrant workers dilemma in Qatar

Qatari companies have failed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in wages and benefits to low-paid workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of workers have been dismissed without notice, put on lower wages or unpaid leave, denied outstanding and end-of-service payments, or forced to pay for flights home.

Doha's policy indicates wage theft on an unprecedented scale, as workers have been left destitute, short of food and unable to send money home during the pandemic despite Qatar being one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

The Qatari government later allowed companies that had stopped operating due to pandemic restrictions to put workers on unpaid leave or terminate their contracts as long as they followed the country’s labor law, which includes providing a notice period and paying outstanding benefits.

A number of companies exploited or failed to follow this directive. Almost 2,000 workers employed by one construction company were “laid off on the spot,” workers have claimed. Many have not received their outstanding salary or end-of-service settlement.

Many migrant workers are in an extremely vulnerable position with no real ability to assert their rights or seek remedy for violations.”