Qatar: Pilot demonstrates benefits of fair recruitment & effective grievance mechanism for construction workers, incl. drop in recruitment fees
In September 2020, the ILO Qatar Project Office and Qatari Diar/ Vinci Construction published a brochure with the "lessons" learned from a pilot seeking to promote fair recruitment in Qatar's construction sector. The pilot looked specifically at the Qatar- Bangladesh migration corridor, focusing on the recruitment practices of STS, a manpower provider placing workers in QDVC worksites.
Key findings of the pilot, following STS' adoption of a no-recruitment fee charging policy, included:
- A sharp drop in recruitment fees and related costs paid by workers.
- A major reduction of workers’ debt.
- Fewer cases of deceptive contract practices.
The pilot also demonstrated that fair recruitment policies can be implemented and achieved by companies in a short timeframe.