Qatari failure to pay contractors leaves migrant workers unpaid, says report Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 12/15/2025 - 16:14 Foreign labourers 'bearing brunt' of government clients and businesses failing to pay subcontractors, HRW finds A worker cleans a water pond in Doha, 10 May 2023 (AFP/File photo) Off Qatari government clients, and other large businesses, are failing to pay contractors on time for projects, leaving migrant labourers unpaid, according to a report published by Human Rights Watch on Monday. “Clients at the top of the Qatari contracting supply chain, including government bodies, often have impunity, leaving subcontracting businesses that employ migrant workers bearing the cost,” said Michael Page of Human Rights Watch (HRW). “Influential contractors and employers in Qatar should stop stiffing workers by failing to pay subcontractors what they owe.” HRW interviewed 16 people between February and March 2024 and in September 2025, who had been employed by labour supply companies in Qatar. The rights group also reviewed contractual agreements and emails from two subcontractors. The documents revealed that both subcontractors struggled to pay workers when clients did not release payments as they were contractually obligated to do. Attempts by one to demand payment, including legal threats, did not result in payment. Such violations could result in complicity in contributing to wage theft against migrant workers, the HRW report said. Riyadh Metro construction rife with migrant labour abuses, says Amnesty Read More » “Non-payment by clients has badly affected our cashflow, as we couldn't pay our suppliers and subcontractors that we have engaged in our project,” a subcontracting company representative said. “We are also facing legal threats from them. The company has not been able to pay its own workers’ salaries either.” HRW said that a “pay when paid” clause in contracts can contribute to wage theft, and that Doha should extend liability for wages beyond the immediate employer. Under conventions of the International Labour Organisation , ratified by Qatar, including the forced labour convention, both the withholding and non payment of wages may amount to forced labour. The rights groups said Doha should hold major firms responsible for abuses committed by labour supply firms and subcontractors. “Qatari authorities are failing twice over to protect migrant workers, first as clients themselves fail to pay contractors for work on time and second as ineffective regulators,” Page said. “Highly touted systems like the Wage Protection System and the Wage Support and Insurance Fund are insufficient to prevent and remedy rampant wage theft.” Inside Qatar News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0