News
Thousands head for Qatar despite worker abuse risks
View(s):
Waiting to leave Sri Lanka's shores: Queue at the Department of Immigration & Emigration. Pic by Eshan Fernando
By Chrishanthi Christopher
Several thousands who had lost their jobs are leaving to work in the Gulf state of Qatar which is hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November.
There are jobs for workers from South Asia related to preparation for the football tournament, including building projects such as the airport, public transport, and hotels.
In the past eight months 51,746 skilled and unskilled workers have gone to Qatar.
Among them are 48,575 males and 3,561 females working in construction, transport and hospitality industries. They have taken up professional, clerical, housekeeping and skilled and semi skilled work.
This adds up to nearly 25% of the work force that had migrated to the Gulf States in the same period including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The country has sent 233,691 workers in total this year.
In 2021, for the entire year, only 122,823 people migrated to Middle Eastern countries for jobs
This is only half of this year’s statistics.
SLBFE deputy general manager (training and procurement), Mr Senarath Yapa said that there was an unlimited quota for jobs in Qatar. An average of 850 a day were registering for jobs on a two-year contract.
The bureau plans to provide jobs for 330,000 people by end of this year.
Among them are several skilled and low-skilled workers, who had lost jobs. Many are from the construction and hospitality industry.
SLBFE statistics show that skilled migrants have doubled this year with 140,776 having left. Under this 67,973 skilled and 72,803 low skilled workers left, compared with 40,491 skilled and 31,867 low skilled workers in 2021.
This despite the adverse publicity the Qatar employers face in view of allegations of mistreatment of workers. 
In the recent past, the country had sent back several workers from South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, as well as Egypt and Philippines for protesting against their employers for wage theft. It is alleged that they had not been paid wages for several months and those employees who faced injuries and even death, had not been compensated.
The country is now under scrutiny with many workers’ rights movement demanding FIFA sponsors boycott the tournament because of abuses which amount to forced labour.
The SLBFE however, says the country is safe.
Mr Yapa said the country was safe on account of Qatar relaxing the ‘kafala’ system in its recruitment process.
The kafala is a practice in many Gulf states giving employers control over the employees’ immigration status, including their wages and accommodation. Some employers confiscate the passport. To switch jobs or leave the country the worker needs a non-objection certificate from his employer. The state law is not violated.
However, in 2020 in view of the FIFA World Cup, Qatar said that it had introduced reforms to its kafala labour system.
SLBFE however, says that Sri Lankan migrant workers who go through the bureau have a safety net if they face abuse.
“They can report to the Sri Lankan mission in those countries,’’ Mr Yapa said. The bureau would act on the complaints, he said.
SAFE Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that works for the safety of migrant workers said that those leaving should go through the safety net provided by the state to avoid such abuse.
“It is those who go unofficially that face such abuse,’’ executive director, Mr Harsha Jayaratne said.
Many find jobs in the Gulf through friends and family members and do jobs under a visitors visa and are not protected.
“It is important that they are informed of the problems they could face,’’ he said.
The foundation is hosting programmes on safe migration in 12 districts to reach potential migrant workers in Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kegalle, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!