Citizens want sponsorship law tightened Wednesday, 05 January 2011 02:01

By FAZEENA SALEEM

DOHA: A survey reveals that although Qatari nationals acknowledge the role of foreign workers in Qatar’s development, they want the sponsorship rules to be made more stringent.

The survey of citizens was part of a series of such studies that have been conducted on key local social and economic issues by Qatar University’s Social and Economic Research Institute (SERI). The findings of all the surveys were released yesterday.

Some 47 percent of the respondents said they would like the sponsorship (‘kafala’) system to be tightened.

“This is not a decision, this is what the people think. What policy-makers think is different because of different perspective. But it is also good to see what people would think if the government relaxes the immigration rules,” said Dr Darwish Al Emadi, Director, SERI.

This could be actually what other GCC citizens also feel about the sponsorship system although their countries have relaxed the immigration policy, he said.

A vast majority (89 percent of the respondents) covered by the survey said they believe that the hard work and talents of foreign workers has contributed to the development of Qatar.

At the same time, 82.3 percent of the respondents said they think that foreign workers make the country open to new cultures, while 75 percent said they think that foreign workers put strain on the country’s health services and are to blame for increasing traffic congestions.

Some 77 percent of the respondents said they believe there are too many expatriates and migrant workers in the country, and 62 percent said they think the number of labour migrants allowed in the country each year should be decreased. Also 58 percent of the surveyed said they believe the foreign workers weaken the country and take away its resources.

This study was a part of the survey ‘Omnibus: A multipurpose survey of life in Qatar’.

In another survey all respondents- Qatris, expatriates, including migrant labourers have given the highest rating (seven on a scale of 10) on quality of life in Qatar.

THE PENINSuLA

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Comments

0 #12 2011-10-03 16:42

Some employers are using the present sponsorship law on their advantage as they don't treat their employees like a human bening..for example ASKAR industries, whose owner is Nabil Askar who most of the time violates human rights..a big cheater to all his clients and a big lier..be ashamed of urself, fuck U.

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-1 #11 2011-06-14 19:58

That's funny! Here I was thinking the rules needed to be relaxed. Those persons who think the kafala rules need to be more stringent need to realise that there is enough wealth for EVERYBODY. It seems the 42% feels threatened by the presence of expats who are just here to do the work Qataris do not want to do and go back to their homes. I see no reason for the threat or resentment as I am certain there are occupations no Qataris will take. The government has been admirable in its efforts to Qatarise the job market and to ensure that jobs are not given to foreigners where there are qualified and interested Qataris so I really do not understand the way the 42% thinks. How much more tightening should be required? Already expats can't even switch jobs, leave the country, buy a car or obtain a liquor licence without permission from sponsors. It will be interesting to see what would happen if the govt decides to relax the rules.

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+1 #10 2011-01-24 15:19

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+2 #9 2011-01-06 19:40

if qatari's wants da labours to reduce then qatar has to forget FIFA 2022 for sure

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+1 #8 2011-01-06 16:21

if thats the case then let this people(national s) do all the work for the 2022...

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0 #7 2011-01-05 21:45

dear sir.,
This my humple request , those exit people when they can come back to qatar? The new rull will come or not ? if come iam going to exit to day, pls help me.
Tnx
manasir

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+2 #6 2011-01-05 18:53

Do not forget, you cannot take small step without foreign expatriates.....

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0 #5 2011-01-05 14:48

Less labours should be allowed??
Who will do the labour work then??
The locals???

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+2 #4 2011-01-05 13:07

I am not at all surprised by the report. ANy individual will of course see their own benefits. They want to make emigration laws to be strict. Good.Why not reintroduce the slavery system so that the slave will have no voice to raise any concern.Are you planning to take the country forward or backward to the old times.We understand the concern of the locals but in any business their is a tradeoff.
we can see the kind of liberalisation being adopted by UAE due to their flexible policies & their result in country development.The more country gives the freedom the more productivity will it get from its work force. So relax the norms & see the difference it will have in the society.People will feel more dedicated for this countries development.

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