The rules governing the employment of workers in Qatar are governed by law No.14 of 2004 of the Labour Law, administered by the Labour Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. For persons intending to work in Qatar, a permanent residency visa and a work permit is required to legally work in Qatar.
The employment process for Qatar is much more complex than other countries due to the traditional kafala sponsorship system which binds the employee to the employer. Employers hold much more power over the employee in employment matters, where employees must obtain an exit visa and the consent of the employer before terminating their work and leaving the country.
The required employer documents are as follows:
1 Completed application form for Immigration Card/Representative Card typed in Arabic, stamped and signed
2 Copy of passport of all authorized signatories, business owners and representatives
3 Copy of the Commercial Registration of the business
4 Copy of Trade Licence
5 Immigration card (For Representative Card application)
6 2 colour passport-sized photos of representative
The submitted passport must meet the parameters given below
It must be valid for 6 months ahead of the span of stay.
It must be original and genuine.
It must have minimum two blank pages for the visa stamp.
It must not be torn, ripped, split, or damaged in any kind of way.
Eligibility for getting Qatar Employment Visa:
In order to be eligible to travel to the country on a visa, you will have to meet the following eligibility criteria.
Be a genuine traveller-You must have a valid and good intention behind travelling to the country.
Eligible to bear all expenses -You must possess sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependents throughout the stay.
Reasons to return - You must have strong ties in your home country that will ensure that you will return after your stay.
Be of good character - You must have a clean criminal track record and be of good character. You may have to provide PCC (Police Clearance Certificate) for the same.
The Residency Permit – the basics
All newcomers wishing to work and live in Qatar require a Work Residence Permit (commonly referred to as an RP) for which they will need a Qatari employer (company or individual).
It is typically the responsibility of the employer to handle all paperwork required to obtain the Residence Permit on behalf of the expatriate. When a expatriates first enter Qatar, their employer will arrange for a temporary visa which is then converted to a Work Residency Permit – a process that typically takes 2-4 weeks and sometimes longer. Applicants may not leave the country during the period of visa-to-permit conversion.
The Residency Permit
Once an expatriate receives the Work Residence Permit, he or she can then access many other services, apply for further permits and licenses, sign a rental accommodation agreement, apply for a loan, and the list goes on.
Another key benefit of the Residence Permit is that it allows the worker to personally sponsor their immediate family members (spouse, sons, daughters) to join them and live in Qatar (see Family Residence Visa below).
Work Residence Permits are renewed each year by the expatriate’s employer.
Family Residence Visa – permission for your family to stay
Expatriates can sponsor their immediate family members. Every family member, including infants, must have an individual Family Residence Visa. The Visa can be purchased for a period of 1-5 years and is stamped in each family member’s passport.
Applicants are required to submit a number of documents, including authenticated marriage and birth certificates, no-objection letter and salary certificate from their employer.