LONDON: Qatar鈥檚 new minimum wage of less than $200 a month is insufficient to meet the needs of migrant workers living in the Gulf state, rights groups say.
Qatari authorities on Thursday introduced a temporary monthly minimum wage, the latest in a series of reforms amid widespread criticism over labor rights.
鈥淎s an initial figure that does seem very low,鈥� said Mustafa Qadri, an expert in Gulf labor rights and executive director of Equidem Research, a human-rights consultancy.
鈥淭here should be a living wage that allows workers to live and work in dignity in Qatar.鈥�
Qatar has been subject to international scrutiny over alleged ill-treatment of migrant workers in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Rights groups are concerned that the temporary minimum wage falls short as a living wage, said Mariam Bhacker, project manager for Gulf construction and migrant workers at the Business and Human Rights Resource Center.
鈥淚nitial reactions from the human rights community is that the $200 amount seems low given the high cost of living in Qatar and the high interest on hefty recruitment fees that workers often pay to get to Qatar.
鈥淲orkers rely on their salaries to repay these loans.鈥�
鈥淭he permanent rate will almost certainly need to be higher to constitute a living wage for most workers in Qatar.鈥�
Qatari Labor Minister Issa Al-Nuaimi told AFP that a temporary minimum wage of 750 riyals ($197) a month will be introduced with immediate effect while officials work on setting a permanent rate. Migrant workers will also be entitled to accommodation, food and health care covered by their employers.
James Lynch, deputy program director at Amnesty International, told Arab News that the minimum wage was below that found in many expat workers鈥� countries of origin.
鈥淲e encourage the government to ensure that this review (into the permanent minimum wage), which should be carried out promptly in consultation with the ILO and other key stakeholders, takes account of the minimum salaries specified by migrant workers鈥� countries of origin 鈥� some of which are above 750 riyals 鈥� ensures that the minimum wage is sufficient to allow migrant workers to live in dignity,鈥� he said.