Qatar sets minimum wages, scraps NOC requirement for job-change
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Doha: In a major labour legislation move, Qatar on Sunday introduced a minimum wage package for all private sector workers, including domestic workers, and did away with the the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) requirement to change jobs, Doha's Gulf Times has reported.
In furtherance of Qatar's efforts to protect the interests of employers and employees alike, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) has taken a major step forward in its labour reforms, introducing a non-discriminatory minimum wage and removing the NOC requirement to change jobs for employees, a ministry statement said.
According to Law No. 17 of 2020 on Setting the Minimum Wage for Workers and Domestic Workers, the state has set a minimum wage for all private sector workers, including domestic workers, at QR 1,000 per month as a basic wage. The employee is also eligible for QR 500 per month for accommodation expenses and QR 300 per month for food, unless they are provided by the employee or domestic worker, the news portal reported.
The new law will come into force after six months of its publication in the official gazette, and the Ministry will work with all employers where workers earn less than the minimum and prepare a data base. A Minimum Wage Committee will be formed for periodic study and review of the wage levels of workers and domestic workers.
The law is the first of its kind in the Middle East and will provide additional stability to Qatar's labour market.
The NOC requirement was widely cited as a provision discriminatory to the workers because it barred them from taking up fresh employment after leaving an employer. The reform of scrapping the requirement is expected to benefit both job-seeking employees after leaving their previous jobs and employers who wish to recruit such candidates from the job-market.
The government sees the new regulations as part of its efforts in attracting the desired combination of migrant workers, protecting their rights, and ensuring their safety is part of the human development goals of Qatar's 2030 National Vision.
