Surviving the Covid-19 Pandemic: Socio-cultural impacts of coronavirus outbreak on migrants in Qatar.

Qatar is immensely dependent on migrants. According to the Labor Force Survey-2017 conducted by the Planning and Statistics Authority of Qatar, non-Qataris represented 95% of the total labor force in Qatar. More than 80% of the Qataris work in the public sector, whereas 88% of the non-Qataris work in the private sector. This means that the majority of migrants are less likely to be covered under various kinds of supports offered by the government for public sector employees. Given the limited resources as well as the obligation of the public sector employers towards their employees, the current Covid-19 pandemic hits the hardest among those employed in the private sector- the migrants. The whole country has been under lock-down measures closing most businesses and services with a few essential areas open to cater to the daily needs of people, such as food, cleaning, critical transportation, and medical facilities. Nearly all workers in these sectors are migrants who risk their life by being exposed to the threat of Covid-19 to keep our daily life going. Given the importance of migrants to Qatar, and the higher risks they are exposed to during the pandemic, it is imperative to make sure that migrants are protected and well-taken care of so that the whole nation is able to combat the pandemic effectively.