Qatar’s class system explained…

If you come from a western country you’re probably used to the vague notion that everyone is essentially ‘equal’. Sure, some people earn more money or come from more privileged backgrounds, but there’s the underlying assumption that people from different nationalities and socioeconomic backgrounds can come together and have a drink when the situation requires it.

That sort of freedom simply doesn’t exist in Qatar. The country has an extremely rigid class system that ensures people stick within their own groups. So no matter how liberal or open minded you might be, you’ll quickly discover that all your friends come from suspiciously similar backgrounds. It’s not your fault.

Here’s the thing, Qatar has a population of approximately 2 million people. But only about 300,000 are Qatari. The rest are foreign workers brought in to help create all the shopping malls, football stadiums and infrastructure you start demanding when you fall ass backwards into oil money.

That’s great and all, but it means the Qataris are a minority in their own country. And that makes them very nervous. Because what was once a quiet backwater is now home to a bunch of Pakistani, Indian, Nepalese and African labourers building gleaming monuments to consumerism that they’ll never be able to afford. Which, if you’ve read much history, is a scenario that tends to end badly for the ruling class.

But we’re getting off topic…

This influx of foreigners has given Qatar (and the rest of the Gulf) a five-tier society that breaks down like this:

1. Qataris

At the very top you’ll find the Qataris. To compensate for all the construction work and foreigner workers loitering about, they’re lavished with interest-free loans, government subsidised housing and public sector jobs that require little more than showing up.

2. Western Expats

Below the locals you’ll find professional western expats who are enticed to Qatar with large (tax-free) salaries and the promise of adventure. If you’re reading this book you’ll most likely fall into this category.

3. North African Expats

A lot of the Gulf’s administrative work is handled by a professional class of North African expats. Because they’re Muslim, and from the neighbouring region, they tend to tick a lot of the right boxes. Plus, they work for cheap, since their own economies are perpetually in the toilet. But they’re also African, which means they’re considered racially inferior to the Arabs and forever stuck in Middle Management.

4. Asian Retail Staff

The country’s retail and service staff are almost exclusively from the Philippines. They’re here to earn a buck and send it back to their family. They have their own neighbourhoods and shops, and deal with all the bullshit they encounter out here with a lot of karaoke.

5. South Asian Labourers and Workers

At the bottom of this social rung you’ll find the labourers and migrant workers. They’re here to do all the jobs that are too boring, dangerous or just plain ridiculous for anyone else to bother with. When you heard stories about indentured labour and modern-day slavery in the Gulf it’s referring to these poor saps.

You can find more tips on living and working in Qatar in my book — God Willing: How to survive expat life in Qatar.