HELP!!!
I arrived here in Doha in March 2007 to work through my agent in Makati City, Philippines. I got my ID Card(Iqama?) some few weeks ago.
A month after working in this company I can say that my employer is one of the worst employer in town. Sometimes he is nice but most of the time he's not.
1. He does not think of the welfare of his employees.
2. He easily gets mad without just reason at all.
3. He puts the blame on any of his employees even if it's his fault.
4. He does not give our salary on time. For the month of March we received our salary last April 7, so we thought that for this month it would be on the same date or even earlier, but until now we still didn't get it. They say it'll be on the 10th. We'll see...
5. It took him more than a month before he could provide us our own room and not only that, up to now we still dont have a bed and under the carpet is an old, unleveled flooring.
6. We don't have a decent kitchen and dining area. The truth is we cleaned the lobby which used to be a stockroom.
7. We are forced to work 9.5 hours or even more per day without over time pay.
8. He promised that he'll give commission but I doubt if he'll give it to us.
With all these and more, do I still have an option to resign and transfer to another company? They say that once you have this Iqama/ID card you dont have an option to resign. Considering that I have only stayed for a month and a half in this company, is it true? What are my other options? Is there any? I still want to work here and I don't want to go home, so if I can transfer, this could be of great help to me and 9 other filipinos not to mention the other nationals working in this said company.
I am calling to all of you out there who has knowledge or experience like what I have. Please I need your advise.
I appeal to my government to please help us in this great challenge.
If you want to socialize yourself to our QL kababayans, visit the QL-Filipino expats page here, you can communicate w/ them thru PM or posting comments, also you can socialize w/ other QL-members of different nationalities they always have a get together meeting, its quite fun having friends around while abroad. Alot of things to do here but its all upto you how you adjust your self.
Kaya mo yan tol!
:))))
I appreciate your thoughts guys...
Apple thanks so much and to all of you guys.
Hope the others would post some insights here.
you may find the answer to ur question at his job title profile:))
what work you doing?
let me guess other nationalities..Indian and sri lankan? seems to be packed full of them here atm.
Yeah, Apple, you're right. You've had it, steven so listen to Apple. Good advice.
"1. He does not think of the welfare of his employees.
2. He easily gets mad without just reason at all.
3. He puts the blame on any of his employees even if it's his fault."
Hmmmm... Are you sure you're not talking about my wife?
:-)
I think his visa is stamped on his passport because according to him, he has the ID-card?
As per the current immigration law, you can not transfer your sponsorship to another company once your iqama/Residence Permit visa is stamped on your passport for 1 year and even if you finished your contract, you still need a no objection from your current sponsor to work at another company. And to work in any company..you must be under their sponsorship otherwise you'll get penalty and a possible deportation if being caught by authority.
Another thing, your conditions based on your story is very common, most of the contracting companies are paying delayed salary too.
If you ask my advice? I would tell you to BE PATIENT! You are still new in Qatar, later you'll get adjusted to your new environments and work conditions. If you planning to go home and resign...stay for at least 6mos-1yr to recover your expenses of coming here, also observe the situations in your company, if the conditions are getting worst instead of improvement then you may leave and Bye-Bye Qatar! .
People back home think that working abroad is just counting money. They dont know that we worked hard for it risking our life for the sake of our families and loveones. To ease your boredom & homesickness, go out!..relax! and socialize yourself, make friends to divert your mind. Welcome to Qatar!! :))))
Kabayan,
Apple
If you haven't had the residence permit/Iqama stamped you're a free agent.
Of course you can resign anytime after you have it but you can't work for another employer for 2 years.
If you find an employer willing to sponsor you you don't have to go home, just as far as Bahrain or Dubai and come back.
If you're unhappy you're lucky. You still have an option.