Tagged as runaway (even if it isn't true)
Hi. I have a friend who has been recently tagged as "runaway" by her past employer.
Her past employer closed her business and said that she filed for bankruptcy and employees were required to render 30 days. After the 30-day period, the sponsor issued a one-way ticket for my friend to go back home but never used it. Instead, she continued to search for job here in Doha due to financial constraints. She already got a new employer but the transfer of sponsorship was rejected due to a case filed against her (the runaway case).
Now my question, what is/are her options? If she wants to stay here in Qatar to work, will it be possible? And why was she tagged as runaway as the previous company has already been closed and she was retrenched? Is it legal? Kindly shed some light please. I don't want my friend to be jailed because of it.
There are many aspects to this issue which remains unclear. If your friend exited Qatar then her visa should have got cancelled. At least, that is how I understand things. How did she manage to come back? Did she get an exit-reentry visa from her sponsor? It does not make sense as the sponsor has shut down her business as stated by you and given her a one-way ticket. Why will the sponsor reply to her emails? She has nothing to do with her now. I guess that she would need to get to the authorities immediately and be prepared for deportation. Talk to the captain as I suggested earlier at one of the immigration offices and get the correct information on this. She may be able to return on a new visa later on and her new sponsor could guide her on this.
Hi @acchabaccha. She actually left Qatar and went to Sri Lanka to exit. So technically, she used the exit permit that was issued to her by her sponsor. She was promised by her sponsor that once she exited Qatar, her visa will already be cancelled. However, she waited a long time in Sri Lanka and never got a response from the sponsor if the visa has been/will be cancelled. Running out of savings, she went back to Qatar and looked for a new job. She had been in contact with the sponsor since her return in Qatar but the sponsor "seen" all the messages sent to her and rejected all calls she makes. The point is, how was she tagged as runaway while she has done all efforts to communicate with the sponsor? Isn't it unfair for the employee side?
I guess you friend may be in a lot of trouble now. Since she decided not to leave Qatar when her sponsor issued her a one-way ticket as the company was closing down, she may now have to face the consequences. I believe in such cases the person needs to report to the CEID and possibly she would be arrested, and then deported. Suggest you check talk to the Captain at any of the immigration offices and take his opinion. They will guide you best. They are usually very helpful people.