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Country Resource - Qatar
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Qatar

QA
  • Population...................................................................................2,552,088 (2024 est.)
  • Population growth rate ...........................................................................0.71% (2024 est.)
  • Birth rate...............................................................9.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Death rate.............................................................1.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Net migration rate..........................................-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Ethnic groups..................................................non-Qatari 88.4%, Qatari 11.6% (2015 est.)

​CIA World Factbook

Recent Activity

The Dubai skyline.
Feature
December 5, 2024
As the Gulf Region Seeks a Pivot, Reforms to Its Oft-Criticized Immigration Policies Remain a Work in Progress

As countries in the Gulf region rewrite their immigration rules to reflect changing economic futures, they have made reforms to their oft-criticized kafala sponsorship system. But not all migrants are set to benefit equally. This article provides an overview of the reforms and the growing inclusion gap between highly skilled professionals and low-skilled migrants.

An immigrant from Iraq living in Michigan.
Spotlight
June 12, 2024
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Immigration to the United States from the Middle East and North Africa is longstanding and multifaceted. Compared to other immigrants, those from the Middle East and North Africa are more likely to be proficient in English, have graduated college, and be a U.S. citizen. This article provides an overview of this population, more than one-quarter of which lives in the greater New York, Detroit, or Los Angeles areas.

Soccer players during a match.
Feature
November 17, 2022
Who Represents the Country? A Short History of Foreign-Born Athletes in the World Cup

Historically, nearly one in ten male soccer players at the FIFA World Cup were born in a country other than the one listed on their jersey. At times, the presence of these internationally born athletes can prompt difficult questions about the meaning of the nation and who gets to represent it. This article examines the long history of multinational athletes in top-level competitions.

Bangladesh_migrants
Feature
July 9, 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic Profoundly Affects Bangladeshi Workers Abroad with Consequences for Origin Communities

Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest migrant-origin countries, and money sent home by its workers abroad is crucial to an economy that has become one of the more vibrant ones in South Asia. Against this backdrop, the COVID-19 pandemic has injected turmoil into the economy as Bangladeshi migrants have lost their jobs, families are seeing reduced remittances, and would-be migrant workers have had to shelve their plans to work abroad.

UAEConstruction JakeBrewer Flickr
Feature
May 18, 2016
Kenyan Migration to the Gulf Countries: Balancing Economic Interests and Worker Protection

Kenyan migration to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been on the rise over the last few decades, spurred by rising unemployment and instability in Kenya combined with the GCC region's economic growth and proximity. While both sending and origin countries benefit economically from this new migration, it presents significant challenges for these governments, particularly in the area of labor rights, as this feature article explores. 

Cover Top10 7Workers2014
Top Ten
December 11, 2014
Exploitation of Migrant Workers in Asia

Mass cases of exploitation and abuse of migrant workers have drawn international scrutiny and criticism of the kafala system in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and private recruitment practices in Southeast Asia. With Qatar under scrutiny amid a frenzied construction boom in advance of the 2022 World Cup, international organizations and human-rights groups in 2014 stepped up their campaign for worker protection reforms.

ilo_gcc construction workers
Feature
April 9, 2014
Global Civil Society in Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council: Emerging Dilemmas and Opportunities

As Qatar races to build its infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, international civil-society actors increasingly are highlighting the harsh conditions under which temporary labor migrants often work in Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This article examines the emerging roles, challenges, and opportunities that civil-society groups face in the region; it also analyzes the prevailing legal and political structures where civil society operates in the Gulf.

Top Ten
December 10, 2013
Qatar's Treatment of Migrant Workers Is Under the Spotlight Ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup

Qatar's dependence on foreign workers is expected to intensify over the coming decade as it steps up its preparations to host the World Cup in 2022. Migrant workers already dominate Qatar's labor force, comprising 94 percent of all workers and 86 percent of the country's total population of nearly 2 million — the world's highest ratio of migrants to citizens.

Feature
April 1, 2005
Domestic Workers: Little Protection for the Underpaid
An ILO study of Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates highlights the special risks of domestic work for women. Gloria Moreno-Fontes Chammartin discusses the findings and implications.
Cover image for The State of Global Mobility in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports
April 2024

The State of Global Mobility in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

While human mobility globally has largely recovered from its pandemic-era drop, it is undergoing considerable change. The causes are diverse, from climate shocks and shifting economic conditions to conflict-induced displacement. This report explores how the scale and characteristics of cross-border movement are evolving post-pandemic, featuring case studies from different world regions.

Cover image for Diverging Paths
Reports
March 2024

Diverging Paths: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in the Middle East and North Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on mobility in the Middle East and North Africa were immediate and wide-reaching. These include the world’s largest and most sustained repatriation efforts for stranded migrants, halted and reversed irregular journeys, and a reckoning with some countries’ reliance on foreign labor. This report examines how these impacts varied across countries in this highly diverse region, as well as the uneven recovery.
Cover image for Consolidating Gains
Policy Briefs
December 2023

Consolidating Gains: Lessons and Priorities for Promoting Fair and Ethical Recruitment

With more people moving abroad for work and events such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar highlighting the risks migrant workers can face, questions about how international recruitment occurs have received increased scrutiny. This policy brief explores the notable progress that has been made in establishing fair and ethical recruitment standards, and identifies key areas for future attention by governments, employers, and recruiters.