Firms can stop staff who leave after contract completion from joining rivals
Under the new labour law, companies in Qatar will have the right to stop their employees from joining direct competitors in the country even after completion of their job contract, a top official with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) said.
“Under the new labour law, an employer will have the right to enforce a restrictive covenant that seeks to prevent a former employee from working for a direct competitor,” Qatar Tribune quoted the official as saying.
However, the companies will have to let their prospective employees know about it by adding the particular clause in the job contract at the start.
If an employee agrees to it and signs the contract, he or she cannot join direct competitors as mentioned in the contract. However, they are free to work in companies that are not direct competitors.
“If this particular clause is not mentioned in a job contact signed by an employee, then the employer cannot stop former staff member from joining a competitor,” he said.
Grace period
An expatriate worker who wants to change jobs after completing the contract will be given a three-month grace period to complete all formalities.
The ministry has also abolished restrictions in ‘special visas,’ thus allowing expatriates to take up new jobs when special projects they were hired for are complete.
“Earlier, expatriates hired for special projects weren’t allowed to take up another job in the country once the particular project was over. They had no option but to leave the country. Now there’re no such restrictions. Expatriates with special visas are now allowed to work for new employers once projects for which they were hired are over."
No entry into Qatar for work without job contract
No expatriate worker will be allowed to enter Qatar for work without a job contract.
“Job contract will now be signed in the source country itself. A Swiss company hired by the ministry will facilitate job contract signing online between an employer and an employee. Once the employee gets the contract at his end, he will be allowed to enter Qatar,” the official said.
Job contracts can be signed in 10 languages depending on the nationality of the employee.
“It’ll ensure expatriates know the contents of the agreement in their own languages,” he said.
This is how competitive companies compete for the best employees and makes sure employers treat there employees well.
Example: Company A hires a really good Bank Officer who works hard and increases there yearly profits. But treats him poorly, no yearly increases. Etc etc.
Company B knows that Company A has a really good Bank Officer on staff. Company B offers him a counter offer of more salary, or benifts for his services to increase there profits.
Since Company A treats the Bank Officer poorly he accepts the offer and moves to Company B. Company B now becomes more successful in the long run, with increased profits. Because of professional qualityed staff and staff retention.
Company A, closes its doors and becomes bankrupt.
This new 'law' is just an engrossing drama to appease international media.
Anyway, the bottom line, please note, you STILL need NOC (No Objection Letter) from your current Qatari sponsor, to seek another job.
It does not matter if you've completed or not completed your fixed/open ended contract.
joys to all !!
Employer should give complete list of their competitor to MOI and a copy to employee....
keep in mind that when changing jobs a worker is not allowed to change the field of his/ her specialty. for example and engineer cannot work as a real estate agent.
in other words the new law makes it very difficult for most people to change jobs...
I lost my senses :O
So that means a bank employee can't switch his jobs since all the banks are competitors. Similarly, Engineering companies, Hospital, Automobile.. Seriously who are not competing?
This means employees can't do the same job, thus forcing them to do different jobs with a single visa profession?
So professionals will not continue with the same profession. If he need another job first he want to change his profession
What is the problem with employer if an employee got the offer from their competitor ? It means a bank employee if loose his job, he cant get a new as all other banks are their competitor .