New law on sponsorship likely in May

The new sponsorship law that expatriates have been eagerly looking forward to anticipating major changes, are expected to be issued any time next month. 

This newspaper has reliably learnt that some key amendments to the sponsorship rules have been made and would likely be unveiled in May. 

Also anticipated in this very month is a series of alterations to some key provisions of the labour law, it is understood.

It goes without saying that amendments to the sponsorship rules would likely cover provisions for transfer of sponsorship of foreign workers. Nothing is known about exit permit rules that are also covered by sponsorship regulations, but one expects some changes in this system as well.

Meanwhile, in remarks to Jaber Al Harami, editor-in-chief of Al Sharq newspaper, about the labour law, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, H E Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi, said yesterday that his Ministry was making every effort to tackle all laws that relate to workers’ issues.

The Minister is to open tomorrow a key conference of workers being organised by Al Sharq on the occasion of International Labour Day. He will be reading out the speech of the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. 

The Labour Minister said despite the fact that Qatar had already done much to improve the lot of foreign workers, the country has been making consistent and further effort to protect their rights. 

Meanwhile, it seems that initiatives to reform the sponsorship system are being taken by other GCC states as well. A new sponsorship system would likely be announced in Kuwait soon. The country is planning to set up a Public Authority for Manpower that would replace the existing kafala system. The Authority will have a board of directors that would be meeting soon and set the procedures to organise relations between employers and employees.

Source: The Peninsula