Housing Rights: The Migrant Workers' Housing Conditions in Malaysia and Qatar from 2017 Until 2022

Abstract

Most countries in the world depend on migrant workers to do the Dirty, Dangerous, and Demanding (3D) jobs in their country. This study will highlight Malaysia and Qatar because both countries depend on migrant workers as a major workforce. Still, the international community criticized the way they treated their migrant workers. This study is important in terms of giving a clear picture and better understanding of the housing condition of migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar. Does the condition improve or not after the Covid-19 strike? This study aims to analyse the housing condition of migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar from 2017 until 2022. This article used the qualitative research method. This article was also written based on primary data and document analysis. The primary data for this article was obtained from the field. The researcher conducted semi-structured face-to-face interviews and phone calls with ten migrant workers and five locals in Malaysia. For secondary data, document analysis was done using a series of academic journals, reports, and digital materials. This article indicates that the housing condition of some migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar did improve after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, some of them still lived in the same condition because of their employers’ ignorance. The issues of migrant workers’ housing cannot be resolved easily without cooperating with stakeholders and taking a long-term comprehensive approach.