Sofia / Information Office / September 15

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Bulgaria Rashid bin Ali Al Khater stressed that the new measures taken by the State of Qatar in the labor market aim to protect the rights and wages of expatriate workers in the country, including a large number of Bulgarian citizens.

In an interview with the Bulgarian newspaper 24 Chasa (24 Hours) regarding Qatar's reforms in labor market, His Excellency said that the State approved facilitating the employer change process and setting a minimum wage for expatriate workers, which was set at QR 1,000 per month. He added this mostly concerns workers from developing countries because Bulgarians mainly work in the service sector, which has salaries much higher than this limit.

His Excellency pointed out that the law stipulates that QR 500 per month is the minimum for accommodation expenses and QR 300 per month for food, in the event that the employer does not provide adequate accommodation or food for the worker.

HE the Ambassador said that another step for Bulgarian workers in the State of Qatar is the removal of the No-Objection Certificate requirement to change jobs, as this certificate was a necessary condition in the past in the event that the worker wanted to move to another job.

HE Rashid bin Ali Al Khater stressed that the removal of this condition is a facilitation for expatriate workers, thus enhancing their rights and raising the level of competitiveness in the market. He added these decisions apply to foreign citizens working in all sectors, including domestic workers.

His Excellency stated that the legislative amendments made by the State of Qatar came after consultations with the International Labor Organization, foreign governments, non-governmental organizations and labor committees and thus the State of Qatar became the first country in the Middle East to adopt a minimum wage.