International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) general secretary Sharan Burrow slammed Qatar’s labour law reforms yesterday calling them a “sham,” as migrant workers are still being forced to build the 2022 World Cup stadiums working under the kafala system.

Law changes announced by the government have added a new layer of repression for trapped workers, who now supposedly have the right to appeal to the Interior Ministry if they are refused permission to leave the country by their employer.

But with workers still unable to join a union or set up elected workplace and representative committees, the change does nothing to improve the terrible conditions migrants are forced to work under.