What is it with HMC?!

I know what you mean jjj and thanks for clarifying, it definitely makes sense but it definitely does not make it right. The process with the immigration dept needs to change! Sasha my field is info management. Looks like we might be in the same group! Good luck with your application :)

sorry to sound harsh back there but that is the long and short of it, yes you will have to wait

i got you jjj75...guess ill just have to wait =(

sashanorttbaby - did you read my earlier comments, the govt immigration are famous for not informing companies of ANYTHING. we could ask until we were blue in the face but they would tell us to basically get lost and stop annoying them. If a candidate's visa application was rejected and we asked why, they would just say mind your own business - the reason you are not being told anything is probably because they don't know anything either - you are just one of many visa applications that they are processing don't you think they are as frustrated or even more so than you because they have to deal with this day in and day out

well jjj75 ur right about that BUT... most comments here says visa processing takes up: 2-5 days, 2 weeks, 4-8 months also from agency they will tell you that, BUT in my case and blaqdog men its almost 4 months. so what do u expect us to do, smile and wait forever. All im after is, if theres a problem why our visa processing took so long, the employer should ask the immigration dept, if whats the problem for this visa app. then if theres any prob why it takes too long X then the emp, shuld inform the candidate so that he or she can move on and look for another job. in my case im really hoping to get this job cos it offers me BIG SALARY. i bet you if ur in our situation waiting for almost 4 months it would definitely frustrates you and receiving a single nonsense updates would bring you back again. its a case to case basis jjj75.

well jjj75 ur right about that BUT... most comments here says visa processing takes up: 2-5 days, 2 weeks, 4-8 months also from agency they will tell you that, BUT in my case and blaqdog men its almost 4 months. so what do u expect us to do, smile and wait forever. All im after is, if theres a problem why our visa processing took so long, the employer should ask the immigration dept, if whats the problem for this visa app. then if theres any prob why it takes too long X then the emp, shuld inform the candidate so that he or she can move on and look for another job. in my case im really hoping to get this job cos it offers me BIG SALARY. i bet you if ur in our situation waiting for almost 4 months it would definitely frustrates you and receiving a single nonsense updates would bring you back again. its a case to case basis jjj75.

sashanorttbaby - this is exactly what used to frustrate me with candidates who would whinge 'why are you not updating me' when I would tell them at the beginning of the process that all would go quiet for a time whilst the visa was being applied for and that I would update them when I had something to say. Candidates would forget my advice and complain that I was not updating them but what what I supposed to do, call every couple of days to say I had no new information? Hardly constructive and would only service to annoy them further as they would think 'why are you calling if you have nothing to tell me'

got into the same situation blaqdog, been hired last nov, 2010 as med tech, finished all the verification of papers 3rd week of january 2011, they said visa is applied already but up until now, still no visa... i wonder what went wrong. everytime i askd my agency regarding my visa status, theyre saying just wait. but one of my friend who also applied and hire same time with me, had his visa last march and his flyt to doha is this coming may 15. im also frustrated, its ok to wait as long as they will update you on whats happening, but unfortunately theyre not. whats ur profession blaqdog?

patience is a virtue

can you speak out loud for my company too plz.

I can't speak for every company but I know that in most instances it is NOT HR, I can tell you for a fact that the govt immigration dept is the slowest in the world. once took them a year to process one overseas visa request despite us going for regular meetings with them and pleading (which does not work).

I used to work in recruitment for a large Qatari Organisation and whenever a candidate (either transferring sponsorship or moving from overseas) would ask me how long would the process take, I would always answer -how long is a piece of string? It used to annoy the hell out of them but I refused to be pinned down to an actual time frame as I know what it is like here with the authorities.

Nevertheless, I still used to get constant gripes that I was to blame for the delay - c'est la vie, you can't fix stupid

From my experience I would say it is the HR or the mandoub. They take all the time they want before they proceed for whatever reason.

From the above blogs, it appears to me that HR and not the immigration is usually responsible for the delay which is a bit surprising to me because whenever I call HR, they say they have already submitted my case and its with the immigration now and they don't know how long will it take!!

Every HR knows the risks of such communications. Every place I interviewed at they ask me if we should call you at home or at work, so such information would not leak to the current employer. Let me tell something, even if HMC rejected you, your boss will find a replacement for you, or at least put you on the back burner.

@ Translator,everywhere else in the REAL WORLD,when you're told you've been employed by an organization,they process things in a matter of days or weeks at the most NOT indefinitely waiting for MONTHS together(i know people who have waited upto a YEAR) while they "process your papers",that's just nonsense,unfortunately for the OP,he/she lives in the REAL WORLD right now & wasn't aware of how things work(or should i say don't work?!) in this part of the world...so he/she has EVERY right to blame HMC...you DO NOT hire someone & then expect them to wait for MONTHS while you get your act together,i'm sorry but that is NOT how things are elsewhere in the world & that is NOT how they should be here of all the places,considering the fact that this country will soon have "more money than it knows what to do with" thanks to their income from oil & gas,so it's not like they lack the funds to get their act together now is it?...

Part of me accepting this role was getting a reference check from my current work. DUHH!

I'm not going to lie to my boss and tell them I didn't get the role. And then BAM just walk away.

Besides, our CEO held talks with my boss and wanted to know my position with the company in the year ahead.

Some people actually hold respect for their work. Not sure if that's how you do business Translator, but it's not how I roll.

You did not resign but "they knew I was leaving and wanted to move on and have someone replace me in a timely fashion"

Why did you tell? telling is the same as resigning. You did the wrong thing. Do not blame HMC.

You're probably in my group too medic looks like we are in the same boat.

Here's hoping they hurry it up!!

I forgot to mention....HMC is the recruiter for me too!!

It has been quite a while for me waiting for the work entry visa (group application again)...and I have no clue of how long the process is gonna take??

One of my concerns is that a bulk of other applicants have received their visas (including people from my nationality)...but I haven't...

Can anyone explain the cause of such delay (which apparently seems to be of Immigration deppt.) and how long can the wait be and is this delay something to be worried of and is there any way to expedite the process???

HELP PLZZZ!!

(sorry....too many questions)

Thanks for the responses.

Let me clarify that I did NOT resign my current job. They forced me out of it as they knew I was leaving and wanted to move on and have someone replace me in a timely fashion.

So really I had no choice. Either way I wish they would just hurry up. Especially if what Speed said is true

@ speed,i guess we have different standards for what one can consider "efficient" then!!!...anyways mate,to each their own,if you're happy with their services,that's good...as a medical professional, i personally feel that while they have had a vast improvement,there is still a LONG way to go & that is usually only visible to & discernable by the staff or others in the profession...

Why you rushed? the offer says at the bottom that do not resign until you receive the visa, did they stop writing that in their offers?

I remember there is a department in HMC headed by one of a Western woman who looks into such issues realted to any kind of complain against the HMC staff/ administration.

They are really very professional and handle your complain within no time.

I think there is a huge gap in terms of awareness and communication in HMC.

As per my experience, their services for the the outpaitent and Inpaitent are excellent specially in the clinics.

SPEED GIVEN A RIGHT ANSWER.

HMC visas usually are prioritize since they are medical workers, it usually takes 3months from the day you applied to stepping to doha airport( and wait for hours before you get picked up by the liason officer,LOL). there might be a problem somewhere, either with the HMC people,or immigration...but usually it's immigration, HMC people really needs staffs so they hurry their applications...: ) if you are a local hire, it will take you forever...

@ Speed,i wasn't referring specifically to the immigration dept. so apologies for not clarifying,i was referring to the whole process,including immigration,processing @ HMC(which again i know takes forever because their HR dept.,like every other dept. there is a complete mess) & processing @ the Supreme Council of Health,which as you mentioned,you have no experience but dealing with them myself on an almost daily basis,i can assure you,i do! & it takes MONTHS,sometimes upto a YEAR to get things processed from there & get a license in hand...it would be pretty pointless if the OP got here in "2-5 working days" & then had to wait 6 months to a year to actually start working don't you think?...

regading visa, HMC admin/ HR dept should be held responsible.

For the Medical lic. I have no experience, so I cannot comments on this issue.

I agree with SPEED!

you are wrong... and I can prove you.

Entry visa for Qatar (if all documents are in order) takes 2 - 5 working days.

New Residence permit takes (from the nationality approval process till the visa is issued) take 2 - 3 weeks.

I am sure the dealy is from the HMC not the Qatar Immigration dept.

it happend to me also , but its with some other medical company.

u r entering HMC as what ??, doctor, nurse ? technititan

what ever it is it will take its own time.

I was told that they need me in Nov 15 2010, so they processed visa in August 2010, but I landed here in Feb 1st week, then again to get my medical liscesnce another 2 months,

so at last I started my practice only on May 1st

so I too lost 3 months of salary ...

huge loss for me too

.... the mistake is you shd not resign the job, until u get the visa >>>>

Welcome to Qatar!!!...you didn't really think that the nice tax-free salary & the rest of the package they offered you didn't come with any strings attached did you?!...here's the part they DID'NT tell you,visa processing(be it entry or resident) takes forever,as do all the other processes that go with it,like medicals etc. & it's not a pleasant experience at all,dealing with this lot is a real test of human patience so i suggest you prepare yourself to deal with all this before leaving the real world & coming here,or else you'll just end up getting frustrated & will probably want to go back a couple of months after coming here,like so many other expats...

So a word of caution,months are normal as far as visa processing goes,3-8 week process?!?! in their dreams maybe! or maybe that's what it says on some "official" document somewhere but that doesn't mean anything here,time is VERY relative in these parts!!!

It'll happen...eventually...you'll just have to grin & bear it till then!...good luck!...

the problem is with the immigration, otherwise you would be here in less than 3months...