Life on the Spot! Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar

After the standard contract scheme, Overseas Filipino Workers in the country are set for more good news, with the Philippines and Qatar working on increasing their minimum monthly wage to QR1,400 or $400.

Vivo Vidal, Philippine Labour Attache in Doha, told The Peninsula he is waiting for guidelines on the bilateral labour agreement between the two countries that will formally increase the minimum wage of OFWs in Qatar.

The salary increase forms part of the agreement reached by Philippine Labour Secretary Marianito Roque and Qatar's Labour Minister during the former's visit to Doha early this week, Vidal said.

Aside from the pay hike, labour officials of both countries agreed that a standard contract scheme will now be used for all OFWs hired to work in Qatar, with the English translation of the contract to prevail in most of the provisions.

With the new minimum pay, OFWs in Qatar will get an increase of at least QR400 in their monthly earnings. The present minimum wage is QR1,000 a month. Vidal said the new pay increase will apply to all work categories in Qatar.