Fixed QR 10,000.00 for first offender and QR 20,000 to Qr 100,000.00 or minimum 15 days prison term to 3 years.
Sponsorship law gets tough on violators
Web posted at: 2/28/2009 6:51:24
Source ::: THE PENINSULA / By MOBIN PANDIT and MOHAMED SALEM
DOHA: The new sponsorship law will impose jail terms and heavy fines for foreigners violating rules regulating visas, residence and work. Sponsors will be fined if they retain a worker’s passport or travel document after visa formalities are over. They can be jailed or fined heavily for employing a worker who is not under their sponsorship.
Visitors here on a 30-day visa, who overstay, face prison terms which can extend up to three years or, alternatively, may be fined up to QR50,000.
A jail terms from 15 days to a year or fines ranging from QR20,000 to QR100,000 will be imposed for repetition of any of these violations.
Entering the country without a valid passport or travel document or without a valid entry visa, and not entering the country through designated border checkpoints will also receive the above punitive measures.
Similar punitive measures await those who choose to work with companies or households that are not the sponsor of a worker, or if they are involved in a job other than the one specified in their visa document.
Landmark legislations
INVESTMENT PANEL
An investment development committee will be set up under the Cabinet to explore investment avenues in the automobile industry.
Building Law
The law has been amended imposing heavy fines for changing basic structures of a house, apartment or a building without permission.
JAIL REFORM
First time convicts will not be lodged in the prison with inmates who are serving terms for committing crimes repeatedly.
Companies or households employing workers who are not under their sponsorship also face similar punishment.
A worker who is issued a residence permit (RP) to work for a certain period, is required to leave the country within 90 days of the expiry of his RP. Failure to do so would also be dealt with the above punishments. Sponsors not sending newly-arrived workers to the authorities concerned (for mandatory health checkups for instance) within seven days of their arrival will be liable to be fined QR10,000.
The Minister of Interior has been authorised by the new law (No. 4 of 2009 regulating the entry, exit, residence and work of foreigners) to identify the department (the authorities concerned, as mentioned above) within his ministry which will be responsible for enforcing the legislation.
If a worker is found without a valid RP or if he fails to get the RP renewed within 90 days after its expiry, he will be fined up to QR10,000.
Similarly, sponsors not returning passports or travel documents of their workers after visa formalities are over, are to be fined up to QR10,000.
If the visa for a newborn is not applied for within 60 days of its birth or in case a newborn is arriving here, and its visa is not applied for within 60 days of arrival, a fine of up to QR10,000 is to be levied.
Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 39, 48, 51 and 52 of the new legislation prescribe the above punitive measures
here is the copy of such.
Fixed QR 10,000.00 for first offender and QR 20,000 to Qr 100,000.00 or minimum 15 days prison term to 3 years.
Sponsorship law gets tough on violators
Web posted at: 2/28/2009 6:51:24
Source ::: THE PENINSULA / By MOBIN PANDIT and MOHAMED SALEM
DOHA: The new sponsorship law will impose jail terms and heavy fines for foreigners violating rules regulating visas, residence and work. Sponsors will be fined if they retain a worker’s passport or travel document after visa formalities are over. They can be jailed or fined heavily for employing a worker who is not under their sponsorship.
Visitors here on a 30-day visa, who overstay, face prison terms which can extend up to three years or, alternatively, may be fined up to QR50,000.
A jail terms from 15 days to a year or fines ranging from QR20,000 to QR100,000 will be imposed for repetition of any of these violations.
Entering the country without a valid passport or travel document or without a valid entry visa, and not entering the country through designated border checkpoints will also receive the above punitive measures.
Similar punitive measures await those who choose to work with companies or households that are not the sponsor of a worker, or if they are involved in a job other than the one specified in their visa document.
Landmark legislations
INVESTMENT PANEL
An investment development committee will be set up under the Cabinet to explore investment avenues in the automobile industry.
Building Law
The law has been amended imposing heavy fines for changing basic structures of a house, apartment or a building without permission.
JAIL REFORM
First time convicts will not be lodged in the prison with inmates who are serving terms for committing crimes repeatedly.
Companies or households employing workers who are not under their sponsorship also face similar punishment.
A worker who is issued a residence permit (RP) to work for a certain period, is required to leave the country within 90 days of the expiry of his RP. Failure to do so would also be dealt with the above punishments. Sponsors not sending newly-arrived workers to the authorities concerned (for mandatory health checkups for instance) within seven days of their arrival will be liable to be fined QR10,000.
The Minister of Interior has been authorised by the new law (No. 4 of 2009 regulating the entry, exit, residence and work of foreigners) to identify the department (the authorities concerned, as mentioned above) within his ministry which will be responsible for enforcing the legislation.
If a worker is found without a valid RP or if he fails to get the RP renewed within 90 days after its expiry, he will be fined up to QR10,000.
Similarly, sponsors not returning passports or travel documents of their workers after visa formalities are over, are to be fined up to QR10,000.
If the visa for a newborn is not applied for within 60 days of its birth or in case a newborn is arriving here, and its visa is not applied for within 60 days of arrival, a fine of up to QR10,000 is to be levied.
Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 39, 48, 51 and 52 of the new legislation prescribe the above punitive measures