Afghan Exodus: Mass Migration as Qatar Opens Doors to New Workforce

Taliban‑Qatar Pact Opens 3,100 Afghan Jobs in Gulf State

The Taliban government announced this month a labour agreement with Qatar that will allow 3,100 Afghans to secure work in the emirate. Applicants began registering at camps across the country on Tuesday.

Registration in Kabul and Surrounding Provinces

• By Wednesday, more than 8,500 people had submitted their names from Kabul and nearby provinces.
• Officials expect a nationwide total of over 15,500 registrations.

Taliban Rationale

The Taliban say the jobs will help curb Afghanistan’s high unemployment and poverty rates. The country, home to around 48 million people, faces what the United Nations calls one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Worker Skills and Competition

• Applicants bring passports, ID cards and professional certificates.
• Roles range from bus driver and cleaner to cook, mechanic and electrician.
• In southern Kandahar, more than 1,000 people applied for roughly 375 positions.
• In Herat, about 2,000 people lined up on Wednesday for a few hundred jobs.

Other Gulf States Being Consulted

The Taliban are also discussing similar deals with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Turkey and Russia. Deputy prime minister for economic affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar said the agreements will “undoubtedly have a positive impact on the country’s economic situation and reduce unemployment.”

Afghanistan’s Economic Context

Nearly half of Afghanistan’s population lives in poverty, and the unemployment rate (over 13 percent) affects almost a quarter of young people aged 15 to 29, according to the World Bank. Those who do find work often support large, extended families on stretched salaries.

Challenges to Employment

• Infrastructure has been hamstrung by 40 years of conflict.
• Drought has impacted the crucial agriculture sector.
• Mass removals of Afghans from neighbouring countries have added to the workforce deficit.

Return of Afghans from Iran and Pakistan

Nearly two million Afghans returned to their country this year after being deported from Iran and Pakistan, where many had lived for decades.

Afghan Workers Express Gratitude

“We are grateful to Qatar and ask other Arab countries to hire Afghan workers too, because the situation in Iran and Pakistan is very bad,” said 39‑year‑old Noor Mohammad, who registered in Herat hoping for a hotel job.

Taliban Safety Pledges and Qatar Reform Background

The Taliban authorities have not yet detailed how the Afghan recruits will be housed or their potential working conditions, while pledging to safeguard their rights. Qatar, where foreigners make up nearly 90 percent of the three million‑strong population, has faced heavy criticism over the treatment of migrant labourers, especially during construction leading up to hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Qatar has since introduced major reforms to improve workers’ safety and punish employers who violate the rules. It has dismantled its kafala labour system, which gave employers powerful rights over whether workers could leave their jobs or even the country.