Qatar has issued new legislation aimed at reforming residency policies for its large population of migrant workers, whose treatment in the energy-rich nation has come under scrutiny by human rights advocates.
The official Qatar News Agency reported late yesterday that Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued a law "on the regulation of the entry and exit of expatriates and their residency."
It did not provide further details, and Qatari officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
The decision to award Qatar rights to host the 2022 World Cup has put a spotlight on its labour and residency practices and intensified criticism of its treatment of hundreds of thousands of low-paid migrant labourers it needs to complete infrastructure projects.
