Qatar is reshaping its labour market once again, this time shifting its focus from labour protections to building a more flexible business environment to support long-term economic growth.

The latest amendments to the labour laws allow part-time and freelance work to be regulated for the first time and tighten oversight of wage payments and recruitment practices. They also require larger employers to establish joint committees of management and staff.

At the same time, the changes make industrial action significantly more difficult, with strikes limited to six days, unpaid and subject to strict conditions.

The Ministry of Labour said the reforms are intended to “reinforce the balance between the rights of workers and employers” while improving labour market efficiency and supporting Qatar National Vision 2030.

The measures mark the latest step in a series of reforms that began before the 2022 Fifa World Cup, when Qatar dismantled much of its controversial kafala sponsorship system following international scrutiny.

But analysts say the latest changes reflect a different priority, to improve the country’s competitiveness as it seeks to attract more private investment and diversify beyond hydrocarbons.

“This is a moment when Gulf policymakers are taking a hard inward look at their economies and thinking about the changes that they want or need to make,” said Robert Mogielnicki, founder of Polisphere Advisory, a non-resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute and AGBI...

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