Trapped in Qatar
My contract was terminated unexpectedly. I have a bank loan and now no income to pay it off. They have taken my passport until the bank gives clearance. My wife and children have left here as it is too stressful and distressing for them to stay and see the way I am being treated. I am desperate to leave here and reunite with my family. I have been held here for 2 months so far. My wife is trying to access a loan from overseas to pay off loan here but it is very difficult. I have missed out on 2 job offers elsewhere that were going to pay me more than i earnt here so could have paid loan back from overseas. I feel like a prisoner here. No passport and no way out. this has torn my family apart. We just want to close this chapter of our lives for ever. Any advice???
Thanks
i am really worried one day some employee will lose it completely and go nuts wacking the hell out of everyone around him...This NOC issue is just WRONG!
this is a bubble waiting to burst ladies and gentlemen...!!! not too far i wud presume!
Qatar Having A Population of nearly 1.5 million from which 80% expactrites pray every day that things goes smoothly labor laws are a nightmare so keep praying things to smoothen up soon
For those you have settled here a bit we all knew pros and cos of our employement by now... no such thing as human rights exist here for expats. Regardless of our qualifications and job performance we are all expendables. We can never plan long term here as our employers can terminate us any time without or without valid reason. Always have a back-up plan and be ready at to board the plane at anytime.
sprinkletoes good luck man! You'll be in our prayers. As advise by rest, in parallel check grounds of insurance policy from your creditor and consult NHRC how they can assist you (trying wont do harm). As most said if your aim is just to go out of this country best thing to do is barrow portions from your family and friends to cover the amount.
well said jason paul.
Qatar will hate any bad press.
If dont have any info to give all i know is the only person who can take my british passport away from me is the queen!!!!
They cannot do that to you so contact ur embassy.
How do u live, food, housing, clothing etc.
This government makes me sick the more in humane things i hear about it.
Are they to dumb to realise u cant pay it back if u dont have a job!!!
All the best. xx
all Banks have policy of Insurance, if you get terminated your loan will be paid by Insurance, if you resign you have to clear your loan...one of my friend working in bank told me this.....so check with Bank first if you were terminated by employer.
depending on your reason for them terminating your contract you should consider contacting your home nationals newspapers, journalist would love a story like this and i dont think Qatar would like the bad press, as they try to buy up the world and promote humanity ! if you job was taken from you and you can not work then how on earth do they expect you to pay you dues, good luck and make a storm it may help you and many more to come
contact NHRChttp://www.nhrc-qa.org/ NHRC TEL: 009744408844 NHRC FAX: 0097444444013 P.O.BOX: 23104 EMAIL: [email protected] HOT LINE: 66626663 ADDRESS: Fereej Abdulaziz Area, Opposite Petrol Station, Nasser Bin Khalid Intercession Direction, Otabi Tower.
Not my Idea Padre just saying what our good Christian friend Dean Walbit is saying.
many will follow!
Dean wallbit, that a good idea, as this is the month of giving and sharing may be the Op should start a donation campaign to help him pay of his Loan.
There was an engineer caught up in same situation as yours. What he did he appealed to all Christian organization here in Qatar and asked for donation.
Eventually he completed the amount and paid off the bank after 2 years.
During those times he can't get any job..he was helping the church in volunteer works like cleaning and maintenance.
not a sermon of very intellligent people!I go with Khanan's advise, also knew a friend who got an NOC after presenting his case about the bank loan!
Do you really think th eHuman Right Committee will help?Fact is, there is NO human rights for expats here.Sorry to rub this into your face but a fact is a fact.Maybe you can organise small amounts of loan from several of ur family members and friends and accumulate that to pay your financial debt and set your self free.Embassies are not helpful.Allah kareem man
"My contract was terminated unexpectedly" - that statement needs explanation before any advise can be given on the issue of a company giving an NOC or indeed the legal system getting involved and the OP throwing a lot of cash at false hope. If this was a case of redundancy/qatarisation then yes, no company that I am aware of in the country that calls itself credible and is governed by Qatari labour Law could deny the issuing of an NOC to the individual(s) affected - if however the termination was of a summary nature, ie instant dismissal under a company's disciplinary Policy, then I am not aware that companies are obliged to give the NOC - it comes back to the nature of the dismissal and the OP doesnt offer that up.
Lesson learnt:
1. Don't take loans (try to live within means). If necessary take it back home.
2. While coming here, know first hand rules of the land.
3. contact your embassy (they're here for this very reason), and if necessary contact NHRC
Tinkerbell - Its more like when they dont need you any more then you are history and they are not really bothered whether you have a place to stay or starve.
Shifted to Qatar only if my Company provided me a multiple exit. That said, they can easily cancel the multiple exit if they wanted too - its the law about requiring exit permits to leave the country which needs to be done with.ONE OPTIONSprinkletoes, they are holding you in Qatar since your bank has not given you the clearance on the loan - the issue starts with the bank.Hire a lawyer and visit the bank. Why have you taken a loan? - if it is for a asset then have the bank reposses that asset - that asset would anyways be a collateral (you'd have to negotiate as sometimes it is difficult for a bank to sell off asset to recover their outstanding).If not for an asset - then you would surely have some assets somewhere in the world at your age. Negotiate with bank for them to hold these assets as collateral wherever in the world. That will give you an opportunity to give you a clearance, so that you company accepts it and you can leave the country, get a new job and repay the loan.All the best. Hope things work out for you
A $ 100 bank note, even if crumbled and stamped upon, retains its true value. Even more precious is a human life, moulded by God. So don't lose heart, take one day at a time and with prayers I am sure you can get over this depressing period of your life.
My advice for you would be to:
1. Check with the bank for the insurance clause, wherein a person may be excempted from paying back the loan in case of sudden loss of employment such as termination. Or else bargain for a reduction atleast.
2. Try sell off the material you bought using the personal loan, such as vehicle, property etc and try close the loan.
3. In case you have to raise some money please do so at the earliest, before you add on to the bank interests for your loan by selling some goods, borrowing from family/friends etc. Remember each moment you stay in a trap of loan, you are a slave.
TB, They will not do it but they will find someone else who will do it for them.
modified versionYou can check out any time you like but you can never leave (and that is until the sponsor allows you too......)
The sad thing is this labour force is building and servicing their country, without them tey would still be in the desert with their camels....I guess this is Qatars way of showing its appreciation to the labour force
Approach NHRC-Qatar.
I know a friend of a friend who got NOC through NHRC after he was terminated without any valid reason. Make sure your termination is not due to any illegal activities. NHRC do listen and there are billangual speaker there.
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20110807031415/Qatars_NHRC_Seeks_Sponsorship_Rule_Changes
www.nhrc-qa.org
so true Tinkerbell, I was advised prior to coming here to make sure that was in my contract...now that I'm here I'm so glad thats the case....even in the UAE after you have served 2 years with a company a NOC is automatic (in fact you can get one after 1 year with the right know how)
I have a friend who has been trapped here for 18 months so far,and still no sign of being allowed out.Family has left too,and only return for short visits to be together for a little while. It beggars belief that Qatar can actually get away with such abuse in this day and age.
I don't see why a law can't be inmplemented that if a company terminates your contract (and you haven't done anything illegal) then a NOC is automatically given i.e the company has no choice but to give you one. But I guess this is common sense, something Qatar authorities lack in abundance it seems!
the scary thing is they need a truckload more workers across all sectors to get all the promised work completed for WC2022....there will only be more cases like this I suspect
i suppose there are a lot more people caught in worse situations then this. There are some people who are stuck in limbo because of such issues. They cannot go and work somewhere if they find a job as the previous employer will not allow you to work somewhere else and neither can they leave and go home. In short they terminated your contract and any additional troubles and headaches you have to go through will be a delight for them.
true Tinker but this country seriously has to wake up....
The irony is, I have heard so many times that organisations are happy to give NOC's to employees who under perform or who have been dismissed for misconduct but those who have been exemplary employees are denied one - it is totally the opposite of what the sytems was put in place for in the first instance.
Totally agree with jjj75's post, whats stopping this company giving an NOC, if they fire you they don't want you so whats the big deal in issuing an NOC, wake up Qatar and treat your workers humainly!!!
May Allah help you.. thats all what i can say
Yup. welcome to the draconian labour laws and the NOC nightmare that is working here in Qatar - this is just another form of control and injustice
Sorry wish could advise you more, But I am afraid thats the law here, you will not be able to leave until you get a Bank Clearance.