Qatar
In Qatar, responsible recruitment has emerged as a key focus of both the Supreme Committee delivering the 2022 World Cup, and the government's package of labour commitments. While existing legislation already prohibits the payment of fees, enforcement is weak and the true costs of recruitment are typically not reflected in the pricing and assessment of tenders.
IHRB co-organised a conference in October 2018 with the Ministry of Labour, ILO, and Qatar Chamber of Commerce, with over 300 attendees largely drawn from the local private sector. In particular, strong interest in advancing fair recruitment was seen from attending hotel companies, with the hospitality sector a key component in both the World Cup and the long term economy of Qatar.
As part of their technical cooperation agreement with the ILO, the Qatari government has committed to work closely with recruiters in Qatar and overseas, and to build the capacity of inspectors. This is to be complemented by the opening of Visa Centres in countries of origin that should help minimise the risk of contract substitution. Separately, the Supreme Committee continues to implement its policy of requiring contractors to reimburse fees to workers where they cannot establish that no fees have been paid. For more information, contact William Rook, IHRB Gulf representative.
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Commentary by Scott Jerbi, Senior Advisor, Policy & Outreach, IHRB