Manama: Qatar's interior and labour ministries have agreed on a set of mandatory principles to be upheld by the manpower recruitment agencies operating in the country.
Under the new plan, the agencies must offer service free of charge to senior citizens and physically challenged persons, provide translators in all the languages spoken by the recruited employees and highlight the issues to be avoided by expatriates.
Other principles for the agencies are ensuring that the recruited persons have the minimum level of education, deport domestic helpers within the agreed period of guarantee if found not fit for work and avoid delaying tactics that could result in financial losses to the sponsor.
Presenting monthly statistics to the competent authorities is among the most salient points agreed upon by the two ministries.
The 17-point rules are applicable mainly to agencies that supply domestic workers, Qatari daily Gulf Times reported on Thursday.
According to the ministries, the extent of compliance by the recruiting firm with the principles will determine whether they will be granted facilities.
