Qatar signs new agreement with ITF on transport worker rights

The Ministry of Labour of Qatar today signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ITF and, with worker-management committees, it takes another leap forward in rights for transport workers. The MoU between Qatar and the ITF builds on a previous agreement as part of an International Labour Organisation (ILO) technical project. It outlines […]


March 3, 2022

New labour laws a historic breakthrough for migrant workers in Qatar

New laws announced and adopted by the Government of Qatar represent a historic leap in the protection of migrant workers’ rights in the Gulf State. These new laws together with the removal of the exit permit system earlier this year effectively eliminates the kafala system of modern slavery. The latest labour reforms which include the […]


September 4, 2020

ITF, ADLSA and ILO agree to work towards safeguarding transport workers’ rights

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has today formally agreed with Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (ADLSA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Project Office in Qatar to work together to ensure decent work for transport workers in Qatar, through the Technical Cooperation Programme between Qatar and the ILO (TCP) The […]


October 8, 2018

ITUC, BWI and ITF welcome end of exit permits for 1.5 million migrant workers in Qatar (ituc-csi.org)

The ITUC, the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have welcomed the announcement by Qatar on 4 September of new legislation which means migrant workers covered by the Labour Code will not have to seek their employer’s permission to leave the country. Law No. 13 of 2018 amends […]


September 6, 2018

ITF and Qatari government continue talks under the ILO technical cooperation programme

An ITF delegation, led by ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton, visited Qatar last week to hold discussions with top officials to set a framework for the implementation of the common objectives An ITF delegation, led by ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton, visited Qatar last week to hold discussions with top officials to set a framework […]


March 12, 2018

ILO decision heralds new era for workers rights in Qatar (gulf-times.com)

The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decision to close the complaint against Qatar, following the government’s commitments to dismantle the kafala system , signals a new era for workers’ rights in the country. “Qatar has set a new standard for the Gulf States, and this must be followed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE where millions […]


November 9, 2017

ITF applauds ‘historic breakthrough’ on Qatar kafala

The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) has backed what it describes as “a historic breakthrough” on eliminating Qatar’s kafala system, which has allowed the exploitation of migrant workers in the Gulf state. Following years of international campaigning against kafala – a form of indentured labour that in practice has equated to often slavelike treatment of […]


October 30, 2017

Breakthrough to end kafala after new commitments from Qatar on workers’ rights (ituc-csi.org)

The International Trade Union Confederation welcomes the breakthrough from the Government of Qatar to end the kafala system of modern slavery, and plans further meetings with Qatar’s Labour Minister on implementing labour rights for two million migrant workers in the Gulf State. “The new guidance from Qatar signals the start of real reforms in Qatar […]


October 26, 2017