Qatar lifts controversial exit visa system for foreign workers

Qatar has lifted the controversial exit visa system that entails all foreign workers to have the permission of their employers before leaving the country, AFP reported on Wednesday.

The new law now allows only a 5% workforce of each company with the most senior positions to have permission. The change in law was issued by the country’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani as an Emiri decree on ‘regulating the entry, exit and residency of expatriates”.

The International Labour Organization, a UN agency said it will have a positive impact on the lives of migrant workers in Qatar. “This first step towards full suppression of exit permits is a clear sign of commitment by the government of Qatar to labour reforms and a key milestone in the process,” said Houtan Homayounpour, head of the ILO Project Office for Qatar, in a statement.

Being hosts of the 2022 World Cup, Doha is all set to show how it is tackling allegations of worker exploitation,  Reuters reported. Qatar and other Gulf states have a “kafala” or sponsorship system for foreign population, which is widespread in the continent.