Cairo: Qatar has allowed recruitment of domestic workers from seven countries amid strict health precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The Qatari General Directorate of Passports said that domestic labour can be hired from the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Eritrea.
Last November, Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development and Labour announced resuming the processing of applications from companies for employing migrant workers after recruitment was suspended due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
At the time, the ministry said the recruitment applications will be handled in line with specific regulations on a case-by-case basis including assessment of the hiring company’s adherence to pay obligations along one year and its provision of appropriate residence for its workers.
Labour entry policy
The ministry said that the labour entry policy will be based on the travel-and-return rules set by a state committee tasked with handling the COVID-19 crisis.
Last week, Qatar introduced a set of coronavirus-control restrictions that included reducing government employees’ attendance at the workplaces by 50 per cent, except those working in the military, security and health sectors.
Other curbs include shutting down cinemas, theatres, barber shops, beauty salons, museums and public libraries.