Is your passport with you? Does your employer avoiding you to get it from his/her possession? Worry not. You have the right to keep it with you as the law in Qatar mandates.

The Qatari National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking (NCCHT) producted a flyer  in partnership with the International Labour Organization, to help raise awareness that passport confiscation is illegal in the State of Qatar and could be an indicator of forced labour and human trafficking.

You can download a copy of the flyer here.

Did you know?

• Passport confiscation is illegal. Article 8 of Law No. 21 of 2015 Regulating the Entry, Exit, and Residence of Expatriates requires employers to return passports to workers once procedures for issuing or renewing a residence permit have been completed, unless the worker requests in writing that the employer keeps it with him/her, provided that he/she returns it to the worker upon request. Violating this provision is punishable by law with a fine of up to QR 25,000, according to Article 39 of the same Law.

• Article 3 of the Ministerial Order No. 18 of 2014 Determining the Requirements and Specifications of Adequate Housing for Workers obliges employers to provide workers with lockable storage space that workers can access freely at any time, in which they can store their documents and personal belongings.

• Retention of identity documents or other valuable personal possessions is a clear indicator of forced labour and trafficking. It is a red flag that will trigger questions about whether the worker is in a position to leave the job freely. Such crimes carry heavy penalties including imprisonment for up to fifteen years and a fine of up to QR 300,000 according to Article 15 of Law No. 15 of 2011 on Combatting Trafficking in Persons.

WHERE TO ASK FOR HELP?

National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking

Web: www.ahtnc.gov.qa

Email: HT@ADLSA.gov.qa

Twitter: @Nccht_qatar