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The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, has announced a fixed recruitment price for domestic workers.
In a tweet yesterday, the MoCI stated, “The #MOCIQATAR in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, announced the decision of the Committee Tasked with Determining Maximum Prices and Profit Ratios No. (1) of 2022 to set a price cap on domestic worker recruitment.”
The new measure boosts efforts to combat unofficial increases in costs of recruiting domestic workers by the agencies.
According to an infographic by the MoCI, recruitment from Indonesia is pegged at QR17,000, Sri Lanka QR16,000, The Philippines QR15,000, and Bangladesh QR14,000. From India QR14,000, Kenya QR9,000, and Ethiopia at QR9,000.
The Ministry also stressed that “all competent authorities, each within its own jurisdiction, shall implement this decision which shall come into force the day following the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.”
Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Ministry of Labour announced a decision to extend the probation period for domestic workers from three months to nine months.
The Ministry had explained that recruiting agencies are obligated to guarantee for the employer a nine-month probationary period for the domestic worker.
In the first three months, the employer has the right to terminate the contract and recover the total amount he paid to the recruitment office. During the additional six-month probationary period, the licensee shall guarantee the return of the sum paid by the employer, minus 15% of the total amount due for each month the worker spent in the employer’s service during the additional probation period. It will also cover government fees incurred if the worker refuses to work, runs away, or illness with a chronic disease.
It stressed that the employer’s right would be forfeited if the employer assaults the worker and violates any contract terms with the worker.
