Qatar’s Ministry of Finance has instructed government-owned entities to cut employment costs of non-nationals by 30% starting from 1 June 2020. 

Nearly 500 workers of Emirates-based AMB-Hertel protested against months of non-payment in May. AMB-Hertel is an Emirati subsidiary of the French multinational Altrad. According to Le Monde, the group has 15,000 employees in the Gulf, and it’s founder, Mohed Altrad, is a candidate for mayor of Montpellier.

Migrant workers in Oman can now transfer sponsorship without a no-objection certification from their sponsor after completing a two-year contract. Previously, non-Omanis were banned from re-entering the country for two years if they left their employer without permission.

Qatar approves a draft law to amend some provisions of the Labour Law as the state moves to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

In a misguided effort to decongest overcrowded labour accommodations, Bahraini authorities have cut off water and electricity to 63 accommodations. This move puts workers at great risk, as workers will be unable to sanitise properly and have little choice but to move into already crowded accommodations to avail of air conditioning a summer temperatures soar.

In our op-ed for Al Jazeera, we urge Gulf countries to better protect migrant workers in their Covid-19 response.

Gulf countries are moving to ease restrictions put in place to contain COVID-19 virus despite high infection rates.

Associate Editor and Director of Projects Vani Saraswathi discusses the condition of foreign domestic workers amid the Covid19 crisis with the Institute of Human Rights and Business (podcast). 

According to a new order in the UAE, all residents with entry or residency permits that expired before 1 March  2020, will be exempted from paying fines if they leave the country after 18 May 2020. The order is valid for a period of three months. 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that it has started implementing the 15th phase of the Wage Protection System (WPS). As of 1 May 2020, companies with 11 or more workers are now obligated to register with WPS.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has enacted a new regulation on 3 May which allows employers to unilaterally cut workers hours and wages during the next six months.

Kuwait’s one-month amnesty came to an end on 30 April and was availed by about 30,000 irregular workers. However, many migrants are still stranded in government facilities due to travel restrictions placed by origin countries.

Bahraini Parliament vote for the deportation of irregular migrant workers.

In Bahrain, low-income migrant workers who are forcefully quarantined in cramped labour accommodations are left reliant on civil society organisations for food and basic necessities.

Bahrain extends the validity of visit visas for expatriates automatically and free of charge for three months.

Several areas in Kuwait are under lockdown, leaving many migrants without access to food. Government SMS messages that are sent several times a day tell people about places where they can pick up goods,  but seem to lead nowhere.