Kafala is the sponsorship model that has governed migrant employment across much of the Gulf and parts of the wider region. Under it, a worker's right to enter, remain and work is bound to a named sponsor, who assumes legal responsibility for them.
Why it has been controversial
Because status depends on the sponsor, workers historically needed employer permission to change jobs or, in some cases, to leave the country. That imbalance drew sustained criticism from labour rights organisations and international bodies, particularly regarding low-paid workers in construction and domestic work, where passport retention and unpaid wages were widely documented.
Reform
Several states have made significant changes. Qatar removed the exit-permit requirement for most workers and introduced a minimum wage. Saudi Arabia loosened job-transfer restrictions. The UAE overhauled its labour law. The direction of travel is consistent, but implementation and enforcement vary by country and by sector, so the historical description no longer applies uniformly.
Why it matters when hiring internationally
The term still appears in discussion of Gulf employment, and it is useful to know what it refers to and how much has changed. For an employer, the practical point is that sponsorship remains the mechanism through which foreign nationals work in the region, so the identity and standing of the sponsoring entity matters a great deal. Wage protection systems, which require salaries to be paid through monitored banking channels, are now a standard part of that framework.