A representative of a migrant workers’ organization told Amnesty International:
“It is even worse than before the NOC reforms – it is becoming a business. I am angry and frustrated beyond belief. Imagine workers paying as much as QR30,000 just for the piece of paper, even when they have finished the contract. NOC is here, employers are requesting NOCs.” 72 Another expert supporting migrant workers echoed this, having noticed the rise of the “NOC trade”.73
AN ARRAY OF OTHER ABUSIVE PRACTICES AND RETALIATION The official removal of the NOC has given rise to other abusive practices aimed at preventing migrant workers from changing jobs or punishing those who try to do so. One such practice appears to be an extensive use of the “non-compete clause” in employment contracts. Non-compete clauses prohibit employees from working in a new company in the same sector for one year after the end of their contract. According to the ILO, these clauses should only be used in very specific situations “where the nature of the work puts the worker in a position to know the clients of the employer or the secrets of the business”.74 However, according to workers in the country and organizations supporting them, some employers are using non-compete clauses freely, even inserting them into the contracts of blue-collar employees who have no access to sensitive information. 75 The result is to restrict their workers’ ability to change jobs.
A Security guard outside of buildings on Pearl Island, Doha, Qatar, 2018. © Rumbo alo desconocido//Shutterstock
72 73 74 75
20
Interview with a representative of an organization supporting migrant workers conducted remotely, 27 September 2021. Interview with a representative of an organization supporting migrant workers conducted remotely, 20 September 2021. MADLSA, Labour Mobility in Qatar – Key information for employers, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---arabstates/---ro-beirut/ documents/publication/wcms_754450.pdf Interviews with migrant workers and organizations supporting them, conducted remotely and in Qatar between April and October 2021.
REALITY CHECK 2021: A YEAR TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP THE STATE OF MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR Amnesty International
