Migrant Workers
Welfare Standards
Contents
3 Introduction
4 Comparison of QFMS, SCWWS and Ashghal
standards
6 Overlap of topics between the QFMS and
SCWWS documents
12 Qatar Labor Law
14 Comparison of Qatar Labour Law to the
other available Qatar Welfare Standards
16 Appendix A: SCWWS Traffic Management
19 Appendix B: QFMS Planning Standards
21 Appendix C: QFMS Community Planning
Standards
Introduction
There are currently in place three worker welfare standard documents in Qatar; the
Qatar Foundation Mandatory Standards 2013 (QFMS), the Supreme Committee
Workers’ Welfare Standards (SCWWS), edition 2 which came into effect at the start
of 2014. The 2014 publication is more extensive as it introduces a monitoring
mechanism and the requirement to complete various forms as part of the monitoring
process. The third document is the Ashghal Worker Welfare document (Ashghal)
which looks at worker accommodation standards but does not address the
recruitment process or on-site welfare.
In addition to the above, the Qatar Constitution 2003 has various provisions
pertaining to equal rights of people and the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030)
confirms its commitment to valuing employees and seeks to ensure “the rights and
safety of expatriate labour”.
QNV 2030 is premised on four key pillars. The first pillar relates to Human
Development with a focus on the targeted participation of expatriate labour. A
key focus for Human Development is the recruitment of the right mix of expatriate
labour, protecting their rights, securing their safety and the retention of employees
who are outstanding.
Qatar Foundation Mandatory Standards:
The QFMS covers a broad range of welfare requirements from the recruitment
and tendering stage, standards to adopt during the employment relationship,
accommodation standards and planning requirements as well as facilities and self-
monitoring mechanisms. This 50 page extensive document provides a great starting
point for further future developments.
Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy standards:
The SCWWS version 1 broadly covers similar areas to the QFMS with a few
additional sections. Version 2 however expands on version 1 and incorporates
additional standards to be adopted including the RFP requirements, details of how
pay slips should look, monthly reporting requirements, inspection of items and a
sample of self-audit checklist.
Ashghal Standards:
The Ashghal Standards addresses accommodation welfare standards which
also include the HSSE requirements. This document does not cater to the ethical
recruitment, on site welfare requirements, or the recruitment process.
pg. 3
Comparison of QFMS, SCWWS
and Ashghal standards
The QFMS and SCWWS broadly covers similar areas, including ethical
recruitment, access to personal belongings, repatriation, end of service benefits,
accommodation and site welfare, auditing and compliance. Whilst the two
documents overlap in many aspects, there are some differences which are set out
below. As set out above, the Ashghal Standards only addresses accommodation
welfare, but does so in greater detail.
Overlap of topics between the QFMS and SCWWS documents:
1) Recruitment Standards
2) Employment and contract requirements and standards
3) Accomodation standards and facilities
4) Communal facilities
5) Recreational facilities
6) Food requirements
7) Fire safety hazard
8) Construction standards and requirements
9) Reporting mechanism
The SCWWS document provides greater detail on traffic management while the
QFMS document remains silent on such issue. In particular the SCWWS document
addresses the following traffic management topics (which are set out in full in
Appendix A):
• Planning and Design
• Approach and internal roads
• Traffic control devices
• Entry and exit of vehicles to and from the accommodation site
• Bus boarding bays
• Design of the boarding bays
• Pedestrian walkway
• Pick up & drop off timings of delivery vehicles
• Control of external vehicles
• Other traffic management issues
pg. 4
The QFMS documents provides greater planning standards detail including the
following headings(which are set out in full in Appendix B) which are otherwise
missing from the SCWWS document:
• Density
• Coverage
• Landscape
• Heights
• Setbacks
• Parking & Servicing
• Recreational Space
• Land Use
The QFMS document also helpfully provides a detailed diagrammatic illustration
of the community planning standards, including a clear breakdown of the spatial
hierarchy meaning in blueprint form and better illustrates and explains the layout of
the accommodation setup (as fully set out in Appendix C).
As indicated above the Ashghal document focuses only on the accommodation
welfare standards and therefore explores this area in greater detail than the other
standards set out herein.
Overall from the research conducted it can be concluded that the QFMS and the
SCWWS are more comprehensive than the Ashghal standards. They certainly
provide more detail and currently provide the best migrant welfare standards
available in Qatar.
Set out below is a comparison table of the QFMS, SCWWS and the Ashghal
standards.
*APLL means “as per labour law”. Such areas are not addressed by the applicable
standards and the position is set out in the Labour Law (as defined below).
pg. 5
Overlap of topics between the
QFMS and SCWWS documents
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Welfare
Yes Yes Yes
adherence plan
Tendering
Yes Yes Yes
process
Tendering
Tenderer
process
commitment Yes Yes No
statement
Workers’ welfare
No Yes No
RFP requirements
Contractor
Contracting No Yes No
process
Ethical
Yes Yes No
recruitment
Recruitment
Yes Yes No
agencies
Contract with
the recruitment Yes Yes No
agency
Recruitment Action against
standards unscrupulous
Yes Yes No
recruitment
agencies
Recruitment,
Processing and Yes Yes No
Placement Fees
Informed Consent
Yes Yes No
to Employment
Employment
Yes Yes No
contract
Employment
Yes Yes No
requirements
Induction of
Employment Yes Yes Yes
Workers
standards
Personal
Yes Yes No
documents
Equal and
Humane Yes Yes No
Treatment
pg. 6
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Wages Yes Yes APLL No
Monetary
Yes Yes APLL No
penalties
Working hours Yes Yes No
Leave Yes Yes APLL No
Termination of
Employment Yes Yes No
Contract
Repatriation Yes Yes No
End of Service Yes Yes No
Medical
Yes Yes No
insurance
Counseling
Yes Yes No
services
Skills training Yes Yes No
Accommodation Induction to the
Yes Yes Yes
accommodation
Spatial hierarchy Yes No No
Accommodation
Yes Yes Yes
standards
Building
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Notice board No Yes No
Infrastructure
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Fire safety
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Bedroom
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Toilet/showering
facility Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Communal TV
Yes Yes Yes
and Social Room
Sport and
Recreational Yes Yes Yes
Facilities
pg. 7
Communication
and Internet Yes Yes Yes
Access
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Sewage Yes Yes Yes
Kitchen Yes Yes Yes
Mess halls Yes Yes Yes
Police,
ambulance & Fire Yes No No
station
Prayer room Yes Yes Yes
Post office No No No
Medical care
Yes Yes Yes
facilities
Refuse area Yes Yes Yes
Cleaning of
Yes Yes Yes
accommodation
Drinking water in
No Yes Yes
accommodation
Laundry Yes Yes Yes
Retail space Yes Yes Yes
Offices for
Facilities
Management Yes Yes Yes
& Maintenance
Staff
Security No Yes Yes
Police Yes No No
Accommodation Planning No (in
- planning standards accordance with
Yes Yes
standards general planning
standards)
Density Yes No Yes
Coverage Yes No Yes
Landscape Yes No Yes
Heights Yes No Yes
Setbacks Yes No Yes
Parking &
Yes No Yes
servicing
Recreational
Yes No Yes
space
Land use Yes No Yes
pg. 8
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Food Standards Food
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Onsite Catering/
kitchen No Yes Yes
Requirements
External catering
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Provision of Food
to Construction No Yes No
Sites
Nutrition Yes No Yes
Food service
Yes Yes No
requirements
Fire Precautions General
Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Codes,
regulations & Yes Yes Yes
guidelines
Certificate of
Yes Yes Yes
Occupancy
Maintenance
of Buildings & Yes Yes Yes
Property
Site Layout and
Yes Yes Yes
Building Design
Life safety during
Yes Yes Yes
fire
Fire alarm
systems Yes Yes Yes
requirements
Fire extinguishers Yes Yes Yes
Hose reels &
Yes Yes Yes
hydrants
Evacuation &
Yes Yes Yes
Means of Escape
Separation Yes Yes Yes
pg. 9
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Transportation General Yes Yes Yes
Vehicle
Yes Yes Yes
specification
Driver
Yes Yes Yes
competence
Traffic
No Yes Yes
management
Approach and
No Yes Yes
Internal Roads
Bus boarding No Yes Yes
Pick Up & Drop
Off Timings of No Yes Yes
Delivery Vehicles
Control of
No Yes Yes
External Vehicles
Construction HSE standards
Yes Yes No
site standards and requirements
Health & safety Yes Yes No
Site welfare Yes Yes No
General Yes Yes No
Drinking water Yes Yes No
Sanitary
Yes Yes No
conveniences
Mess areas Yes Yes No
Drinking water
Yes Yes No
requirements
Medical facilities Yes Yes No
Cleaning of
sanitary and mess
Yes Yes No
facilities at the
construction site
Notice board No Yes No
Reporting Monthly reporting No Yes Yes
Inspection item No Yes No
Auditing Contractor self-
Yes Yes No
audit checklist
Welfare audit
Yes Yes No
process
pg. 10
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal
Additional Volunteer support
Yes No No
sections network
HSSE Yes Yes No
Workers welfare
No Yes Yes
forum
Program welfare
No Yes No
forum
Records and
No Yes No
Access
Hotlines internal
No Yes No
and external
Compliance &
No Yes No
enforcement
HR for
accommodation Yes Yes No
and site welfare
Sample pay slip No Yes No
Sample new
No Yes No
starter checklist
Sample of
No Yes No
monthly reporting
Sample of the
No Yes No
inspection items
Sample Self
No Yes No
checklist
pg. 11
Qatar Labour Law
The employment relationship in Qatar is principally governed by the provisions of
Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended (Labour Law), adopted 19 May 2004. Various
Ministerial Resolutions and Decisions have also been issued to complement the
Labour Law. These include:
• The Ministerial Decision No. 5 of 2005 concerning the regulation of the work of
Conciliation and Arbitration Committees in the settlement of collective disputes.
• Ministerial Resolution No. 6 of 2005 regulates shift work.
• Ministerial Decision No. 7 of 2005 concerning the form of the penalties list
• Ministerial Decision No. 8 of 2005 regulates the recruitment of expatriate
employees from outside Qatar and specifically states that employees may not be
charged for recruitment expenses, fees or other costs.
• Ministerial Decision No. 9 of 2005 concerning the disposal of the proceeds from
the penalties imposed on workers.
• Ministerial Decision No. 10 of 2005 concerning the types of work where work can
be carried out without intervals for rest.
• Minister of Civil Service Affairs and Housing Decree No. 11/2005 regarding
occupations that are exempted from provisions regulating limited working hours.
Came into effect 30 August 2005.
• Ministerial Resolution No. 12 of 2005 sets out the areas which at that time
were designated “remote” and where appropriate means of transport,
accommodation, portable water, food or the means to obtain food and medical
provisions must be made available to employees.
• Ministerial Decision No. of 13 2005 concerning the regulation of activities and
procedures of labour inspection.
• Ministerial Decision No. of 15 2005 on the Works Minors Are Prohibited from
Carrying Out.
• Ministerial Decision No. of 16 2005 on the regulation of the medical care for
workers in establishments.
• Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2005 sets out in detail the requirements for
employees accommodation, including the area to which each employee should
have access, bedding allocation, the number of employees who may share a
bathroom, utilities and rubbish disposal.
• Decree No. 18/2005 governing the gathering of data about occupational injuries
and illnesses.
• Minister of Civil Service Affairs and Housing Decree No. 19/2005, which obligates
employers to conduct free and regular medical examinations of workers.
pg. 12
• Minister of Civil Service Affairs and Housing Decree No. 20/2005 regarding
workplace safety and occupational hazards.
• Law No. 15 of 2011 on Combating Trafficking in Persons.
• Law No. 1 of 2014, which spells out regulations concerning nursery schools.
• Law No. 3 of 2014 amending some provisions concerning fees and expanding
the definition of entities that are excluded from the cover of the Labour Law.
Came into effect 4 February 2014 and published in the Official Gazette on 16
February 2014.
• Law No. 5 of 2014 about the National Service (which pertains only to Qatari
nationals.)
• Ministerial Order No. 18 of 2014, which sets the conditions for adequate housing
for workers in Qatar.
• Law No. 1 of 2015 clarifying compensation and the enforcement of due wages.
Came into effect 18 February 2015 and published in the Official Gazette 2 April
2014.
• Law No. 21 of 2015 detailing the regulations on the Entry, Exit, and Residency of
Foreign Nationals. Came into effect 13 December 2016.
Qatar did not have any regulations regarding the domestic workers rights however
on August 22, 2017 an Emiri Decree was issued which sought to better regulate
the domestic work scene in Qatar. Law No. 15 of 2017 has certain provisions that
are beneficial to domestic workers who are employed in various capacities in
households such as driver, educator, cook, gardener and the like. Other points the
Qatar Labour Law focuses on are as follows:
1. Vocational Training
2. Regulation of The Employment of Workers
3. The Individual Labour Relationships
4. The Disciplinary Power of The Employer
5. Wages
6. Regulation of The Working Hours and Leave
7. Employment of Juveniles
8. Employment of Women
9. Safety, Vocational Health and Social Care
10. Work Injuries and Compensation Thereof
11. Workers Organizations
12. Workers Organizations
13. Joint Committees, Negotiation and Collective Agreements.
14. Collective Disputes
15. Inspection of Work
16. Penalties
pg. 13
Comparison of Qatar Labour Law to the
other available Qatar Welfare Standards.
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal Qatar Labour Law
Ethical No (not expressly
Yes Yes No
Recruitment stated)
Recruitment
Yes Yes No Yes
Agencies
Contract with
the recruitment Yes Yes No Yes
agency
Recruitment Action Against
Standards Unscrupulous
Yes Yes No Yes
Recruitment
Agencies
Recruitment,
Processing and Yes Yes No Yes
Placement Fees
Informed
Consent to Yes Yes No Yes
Employment
Employment
Yes Yes No Yes
Contract
Employment
Yes Yes No Yes
Requirements
Induction of
Yes Yes Yes No
Workers
Personal
Yes Yes No Yes
Documents
Equal and
No (not expressly
Humane Yes Yes No
stated)
Treatment
Employment Wages Yes Yes APLL No Yes
Standards
Monetary
Yes APLL No Yes
Penalties
Working Hours Yes Yes No Yes
Leave Yes APLL No Yes
Termination of
Employment Yes Yes No Yes
Contract
Repatriation Yes Yes No Yes
End of Service Yes Yes No Yes
Medical
Yes Yes No No
Insurance
pg. 14
Topics discussed Company name
Overlying topics
in detail QFMS SCWWS Ashghal Qatar Labour Law
Counseling
Yes Yes No No
Services
Skills Training Yes Yes No Yes
General Yes Yes Yes Yes
Worker’s Yes (workers
Welfare Forum committee
Additional No Yes Yes may be formed
sections subject to
restrictions)
Compliance &
No Yes No Yes
Enforcement
All laws and decrees are issued in Arabic, official English language translations are not available
and only the Arabic text prevails. A comparison of other decrees pertaining to other topics of
Qatar standards are not available/have not been undertaken.
pg. 15
Appendix A
Appendix A: SCWWS Traffic Management
2.1 Planning and Design
2.1.1 The traffic management system at the Accommodation Site shall have
professional design input including but not limited to access roads, traffic control
devices, traffic calming devices, parking bays, entry and exit to and from the facility,
control of incoming and outgoing vehicles, bus parking bays, pedestrian walk ways
and direction of vehicle movement.
2.1.2 Traffic management shall cover issues like movement of traffic within the
accommodation premises, transportation of Workers, safe pedestrian movement
within the accommodation and movement of pick up and drop off situations of
accommodation delivery vehicles and safe boarding and disembarking.
2.2 Approach and Internal Roads
2.2.1 Speed control measures shall be established within the Accommodation Site
to limit speed to 25km/ph, such as by installing speed humps 100 meters away from
the main gate in all directions of the approach roads and intermittent speed humps
at 100meter intervals.
2.2.2 The design of the road shall avoid blind/sharp corners reducing visibility from
opposite directions.
2.2.3 The width of a single lane is to be kept at 3.5m and the curve radius shall not
be less than12 meters. Sufficient illumination shall be provided in traffic zones.
2.3 Traffic Control Devices
2.3.1 Sufficient traffic warning signage (warning, prohibition and mandatory),
according to the type of road and hazards shall be displayed and maintained.
2.3.2 Clear lane markings shall be provided to indicate the direction of traffic and
edge markings. Centre lines shall be marked with a solid yellow to curtail overtaking
on these roads
pg. 16
2.4 Entry and Exit of Vehicles to and from the Accomodation Site
2.4.1 A one way system entering through one (1) gate and exiting through a
different other gate shall be considered where practicable, so that opposite
vehicle movements can be restricted to reduce the risk of any head on
collisions.
2.5 Bus Boarding Bays
2.5.1 Adequate bus boarding bays shall be established in proportion to the
size of the Accommodation Site. The buses shall be parked in the boarding
bays and once boarded, the bus shall move out to an exit gate and the next
bus shall be brought out from the external parking area to the boarding bay.
2.5.2 Movement of buses shall be co-ordinated by the Accommodation Site
security staff stationed in the boarding bay and the external parking area
through a walkie-talkie.
2.5.3 At the exit gate, security staff shall check the bus to ensure that it is
seated to its capacity and not overloaded and that all passengers are properly
wearing the seatbelts provided. A time out register with the vehicle numbers
shall be maintained at the gate.
2.6 Design of the Boarding Bays
2.6.1 The boarding bay shall be established in such a place that the need to cross
the access road is minimized as far as reasonably possible.
2.6.2 Bollards/railings are to be installed between the vehicles and the waiting
queue area.
2.6.3 The size of each boarding bay shall be 20 meters including 5 meters each for
the incoming and outgoing tapers.
pg. 17
2.7 Pedestrian Walkway
2.7.1 Inside the Accommodation Site, it is recommended to have a dedicated
pedestrian walkway with footpaths elevated from the road level separating vehicles
and pedestrians.
2.7.2 Road crossing areas shall include well marked zebra crossings with dropped
kerb stones, combined with speed humps to reduce the risk of speeding vehicles at
pedestrian cross over points.
2.7.3 Comfortable and inviting pedestrian walkways are encouraged to enhance
walkability and physical activity. Walkways shall be safe, with adequate lighting,
shaded and protected from weather conditions. Landscaping shall be considered.
2.8 Pick Up & Drop Off Timings of Vehicles
2.8.1 During the peak boarding and disembarking period (i.e. from 5:00 am to 7:00
am and evening time from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm) all delivery vehicles into the facility
are to be restricted.
2.9 Control of External Vehicles
2.9.1 Movements of external vehicles inside the facility, like water tankers and waste
removal tankers are to be instructed and monitored by the security staff.
2.9.2 In the absence of a vehicles reverse alarm, reversing and turning shall only be
carried out with the help of a signalman.
2.10 Other Traffic Management Issues
2.10.1 A Traffic Management Policy shall be in place for each Accommodation Site
and this shall be reviewed regularly.
2.10.2 Periodical defensive driving training shall be given to the drivers to improve
safe driving and adherence to traffic rules and regulations.
2.10.3 A safe driving policy shall be in place to promote safe driving behaviors and
include monitoring and reward of good and bad driving habits.
pg. 18
Appendix B
Appendix B: QFMS Planning Standards
13.3.1 Density
13.3.1.1 Maximum density = 500 persons per hectare (*g,i)
13.3.1.2 Minimum lot area per person = 20 sq.m. (*g,i)
13.3.2 Coverage
13.3.2.1 Maximum building footprint coverage = 40% (*g,i)
13.3.3 Landscape
13.3.3.1 Minimum landscape area = 30% total site area (inclusive of hardscape
and softscape). (*g,i)
13.3.3.2 Minimum 15% of total site area to be softscape. (*g,i)
13.3.3.3 Gravel is not accepted as a hardscape material for walkways, public
open space or circulation spaces.
13.3.3.4 Each residential cluster shall have a dedicated shaded landscaped
outdoor space of 1.5 m2 per person. (*g,i)
13.3.4 Heights
13.3.4.1 Minimum G+1 (*g,i)
13.3.4.2 No maximum - subject to Civil Defence approval of construction system
fire rating. (*e)
13.3.4.3 If a building is greater than three storeys in height, elevators must be
provided. Elevator design should conform to ASME A17.1 and NFPA, and its number
and capacity should be determined by international best practice guidelines.
pg. 19
13.3.5 Setbacks
13.3.5.1 6 m from boundary to residential buildings (*a,b,e)
13.3.5.2 10 m from boundary to service/utilities buildings (*a,b,e)
13.3.5.3 10 m from boundary to any street (*a,b,e)
13.3.5.4 15 m minimum between residential buildings and service/utilities buildings
(*a,b,e)
13.3.6 Parking & Servicing
13.3.6.1 There shall be a dedicated on-site staging area for 25% of the total
Community bus requirement which shall be located on the perimeter of the site and
situated so as to minimise walking distance for Workers (*d)
13.3.6.2 Controlled access for all service vehicles (*d)
13.3.6.3 Service roads within the site must be screened/fenced where adjacent to
Living Units (*a,b,e)
13.3.7 Recreational Space
A minimum of one multi-purpose sports field shall be provided for each community
of 1000 Workers. (*g,i)
13.3.8 Land Use
The only uses permitted within an accommodation facility for Workers are those
specified in Articles 13 and 14 of these Standards.
pg. 20
Appendix C
Appendix C: QFMS Community Planning Standards
13.2.2.1 The Community Planning Standards embody key spatial
and organizational elements found in all organic urban settlements
regardless of culture, ethnicity, climate or topography. The design
of accommodation facilities for Workers shall be based on the
traditional town concept and shall include spatial hierarchy to enrich
the living experience of the Workers and promote a strong sense of
community.
13.2.2.2 The spatial hierarchy in the Community includes the
following components
A. Living Unit is a self-contained compartment consisting
of sleeping rooms, a bathing/toilet room and social room to
accommodate a maximum of 12 Workers. Standards for Living Units
are defined in Accommodation – Building Design Standards 14.2.
pg. 21
A Cluster is a building component comprised of Living Units,
accommodating a maximum of 100 Workers and having its own shaded,
landscaped outdoor social space.
pg. 22
Neighbourhood is a public landscaped open space composed of
multiple Clusters, planned around dining and recreational activities, and
accommodating a maximum of 750 Workers.
A Community is composed of multiple Neighbourhoods organized
around a town centre, central square and/or main street that contains
commercial, social, recreational and service uses and does not exceed
5000 Workers.
13.2.2.3 Alternative concepts for the Community design can be
considered and will be deemed acceptable subject to QF review and
approval as long as the intent of the Community Planning Standards
stated above is met.
pg. 23
