Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has scheduled a mid-afternoon press conference today to announce changes to the country’s much-criticized labor laws.

Any loosening of the country’s sponsorship (kafala) system would be welcome by expats in Qatar, who face difficulty changing jobs and require permission to leave the country.

Today’s announcement will also be closely watched by human rights advocates, who have long argued that the current system leaves migrants – especially domestic workers and low-income laborers – vulnerable to abuse at the hands of unscrupulous employers.

We’ll keep you updated on the latest news from the press conference here, as well as reactions from around Qatar and beyond.

The full story on the proposed changes can be found here.