Afghan officials announced a new job recruitment partnership with Qatar designed to help ease rising unemployment. Qatar plans to bring in 3,100 Afghan workers in sectors like hospitality, cooking, mechanics, and engineering. When news broke, thousands of Afghans quickly lined up across the country from Kabul to Herat to register for the program. Within two days, more than 8,500 had applied, and Afghan labor officials expect over 15,500 applicants nationwide.
Afghan Labor Ministry Launches Registration Driven by Economic Crisis
The Afghan Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs opened registration centers in all 34 provinces. People arrived early, bearing ID cards, passports, and professional certificates. Mohammad Hanif, a 35-year-old mechanic from Badghis who traveled to Herat, described the scene: “We’re poor, and most of us have odd jobs,” he said.
The move follows years of economic hardship. The UN calls Afghanistan one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Millions lack work, and the recent deportations of over 1.5 million Afghans from Pakistan and Iran have added pressure on families and communities.
Driving Factors Behind the Migration Push: Deportation and Poverty
Many Afghans in neighboring Pakistan and Iran faced abrupt deadlines to leave. Pakistan deported over 80,000 Afghans by April 2025 and cancelled Afghan Citizen Cards held by nearly 800,000 people. Those forced to return struggled with loss of jobs, housing, and support networks. At the border, workers lacked food, shelter, and warmth, often walking into Afghanistan with just the clothes they wore.
Aid groups warn of widespread distress, citing families separated and basic services collapsing in makeshift camps. Many have no home or land to return to, especially women and children.
Qatar Deal Sparks Hope but Questions Cloud Future Pathways
The Taliban-led government framed the Qatar deal as a lifeline. Acting Labor Minister Abdul Manan Omari described the program as foundational, and officials say they plan to expand labor agreements to countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Turkey, and Russia.
Yet some challenges remain. Families worry about the contract terms, living conditions in Qatar, and whether remittances will actually improve household security. Critics caution that without strong worker protections and proper support, labor migration risks become just another hardship instead of real relief.
