Support and protection of migrant workers and their rights

The “100 Million Meal Campaign,” a food distribution campaign, was launched to support labourers and vulnerable families adversely affected by the pandemic during the holy month of Ramadan by providing meals and food parcels to them. Inspection visits were undertaken to worker housing camps to ensure proper implementation of precautionary measures and the cleanliness and sanitation of dining halls and common areas. Inspection visits were also extended to shops frequented by labourers, medical clinics and buses that carry them to work sites.

The UAE adopted Cabinet Resolution No. 22 of 2019 to supplement Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, establishing more protection for domestic workers by establishing their right to terminate their employment in the case of sexual harassment or physical or verbal abuse by the employer or if the employer fails to meet contractual obligations. Thus, the law protected domestic workers’ right to retain their personal documents receive mandatory time off, and have access to avenues of investigation and prosecution of contractual violations by employers or recruitment agencies.

The Minister of Health issued decision No. 27 suspending for 3 months starting April 9, 2020 the general medical consultation fee of BHD 7, paid by non-Bahrainis in health institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health also committed to providing free medical and health care services for Coronavirus testing, quarantine and treatment to all alike and for free in preventive quarantine centres and isolation and treatment centres for COVID-19.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) launched the “Early Leave” initiative in coordination with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Emergency and Disaster Management Authority to enable foreign workers in the private sector residing in the UAE who wish to return to their home countries during the COVID-19 lockdown/precautionary measures period to do so by bringing forward the date of their annual leave or by agreeing with their employer to take unpaid leave.

Oman signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which states all peoples to certain rights.

The Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs signed a decision laying down the conditions and procedures for the election of workers' representatives to joint committees of companies and establishments that have 30 or more employees. The committee will include representatives of the employer and the workers and will look into all work-related matters in a company or establishment, including the organisation of work, ways to increase and develop production and improve productivity, training programmes for workers, risk prevention means and means to improve the level of compliance with occupational safety and health rules.

The Law governing the entry and exit of expatriate workers in Qatar was amended in to allow them to exit the country on temporary or permanent basis without obtaining prior approval from their employer in the form of an exit permit, but did not cover expatriates working in government and public entities, in the oil and gas sector, at sea, in agriculture, in private offices and as domestic workers. Decision No. 95 of 2019 was then issued by the Minister of Interior and removed exit permit requirements for most of the workers excluded from the September 2018 amendment, except for military personnel.

Resolution No. 68 on the Wage Protection System, issued by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs stated that business owners must commit to paying the salaries of workers as stipulated in the Wage Protection System and as per the dates set in Labour Law no. (36) for the year 2012 for the private sector through the entities authorised by the Central Bank of Bahrain. The authorised entities have to disclose to the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), upon the payment of employees’ salaries, information on the full name and personal number of an employee, the salary amount paid along with the date of payment, the account number of the employee or the employment identification code, and the account number and the private or commercial register number of the employer.

Resolution No. 1 on the Implementation of the Wage Protection System, issued by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs on 11 July 2019 provided for the establishment of a database in LMRA for purposes of oversight of salary payments by employers to employees in accordance with the provisions of the Law and resolution No. 68 for the year 2019 on the Wage Protection System.

Oman repealed their previous Foreign Capital Investment Law promulgated by Royal Decree 102/94 and replaced it in 2019 with Royal Decree 50/2019. The new Foreign Capital Investment Law outlines the requirements for foreigners to do business in the country such as conditions, procedures, timelines, approvals needed, etc. Additionally, the law includes several provisions for the protection of rights of the foreign investor such as requiring a notification by the ministry in the case of a violation and allowing a period of 30 days to rectify the offence, guaranteeing protection from arbitrary or illegal seizure of assets, and establishing a council for grievances of foreign investors.