OFWs better protected in new Qatar law — DFA

Thousands of Filipino domestic workers in Qatar would get better protection as the country passed a new employment law, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday.

Qatar recently enacted the “Domestic Employment Law,” which has been expanded to cover household service workers and provide them with legal protection, the DFA said in a statement.

Under the law, domestic workers are required to work for only 10 hours per day, six days a week, and are entitled to annual vacations, paid sick leaves, and breaks for meals and worship.

The Philippine government welcomed the law’s passage as it provides better protection to more than 50,000 Filipino domestic workers in Qatar.

“We thank and commend the government of Qatar for enacting this progressive legislation,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said.

“This will certainly lead to the recognition, promotion, and protection of the rights of Filipino and other migrant household service workers in Qatar,” Cayetano added.

According to Ambassador to Doha Alan Timbayan, there are about 246,000 overseas Filipino workers in Qatar, making the Philippines the third highest source of migrant workers to the Gulf state. CBB