"Public sector clients pledge action to foster fair recruitment", 21 May 2019

Leading public institutions have pledged their support for... fair recruitment of migrant workers in Qatar... by public sector clients through public procurement procedures. The pledges marked a commitment of the public sector to support the principle enshrined in Qatar’s Labour Law that “No worker should pay to get a job”, by consistently ensuring that payment of recruitment fees by employers is addressed during contract bidding... [and] contractors actually do pay the recruitment fees and related costs. Amongst the organizations making public pledges were the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar Rail, Manateq, Qatar Museums and the US Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District...

H.E. Yousuf Mohamed Al Othman Fakhroo, Minister of Administrative Development Labour and Social Affairs said, “The issue of fair recruitment is at the heart of our country’s labour reform agenda. I would like to commend the public institutions that have already signed the pledges on fair recruitment and recognize the contribution this will make to ensuring all workers arrive in Qatar debt free.”

Houtan Homayounpour, Head of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Project Office for the State of Qatar said, “ensuring that the payment of recruitment fees by employers is included and evaluated during contract bidding will give a clear signal to all contractors that recruitment fees and related costs should be borne by them. It will also create a level playing field for all companies.”