just as I would like my country to look at what gives UK citizens an advantage. I think it can work well either way (sponsorship or no sponsorship) if there is a stronger legal system in place that isn't swayed by corruption. I don't see that being the case in Qatar.

I think sponsorship as a whole works to the Qatari advantage as a means of controlling who comes in and avails themselves of the free services being offered. Clearly healthcare and education (for Arabic speaking natives) is very costly to provide to expats. I think Qataris would want to control who comes here and I can't blame them for it.

However, there clearly are abuses of the sponsorship system. My suggestion would be to keep the sponsorship system in place but allow people to transfer their sponsorship after working a full year of their contract. I think that is a legitimate amount of time for the sponsor to recoup their expense in bringing an expat here, and at the same time will send a message to sponsors that they have to provide good working conditions and decent wages to the expat or run the risk of losing them to a better offer.