Qatar to launch major labour reform for migrant workers

New system to ensure workers are paid on time, but rights group not convinced

Qatar tomorrow officially launches one of its most "significant" labour reforms to guarantee migrant workers' wages, but rights groups are concerned over implementation of the new regulations.

The Wage Protection System (WPS) aims to ensure that migrant labourers, many working on 2022 World Cup-related projects, will finally receive their pay on time.

Under the new system, workers will be paid either twice a month or monthly, and the wages electronically transferred direct to their bank accounts.

Failure to pay salaries on time, especially for blue collar workers, has been one of the biggest complaints voiced by rights groups against companies in the energy-rich Gulf state.

A 2013 academic study, "Portrait of Low-Income Migrants in Contemporary Qatar," found that around a fifth of migrant workers were "sometimes, rarely or never" paid on time.

On August 18, a six-month grace period for businesses to ready for the electronic payment system expires.

From that date, companies which fail to pay staff on time could face fines of up to 6,000 Qatari riyals ($1,650/1,485 euros), be banned from recruiting new staff, and bosses potentially sent to jail.

Inspection teams will monitor the new system and identify any firms not complying with the regulations.

The WPS is being overseen by the labour ministry, which has previously pointed to its introduction as proof of Qatar's commitment to labour reform.

In May, the ministry cited the WPS as an example of the "significant changes" being introduced in response to furious criticism of its labour practices since the controversial decision to allow Qatar to host football's biggest tournament.