Be aware of these things before coming to Qatar for work

A lot of people moving to Qatar for work are not aware of the several formalities involved in acquiring work visas, which often leads to tragedies.

Here are some things that you need to know before you decide to move to Qatar.

• Be careful of false promises presented to you by "visa traders" for work - high salaries, good living conditions are some examples. Those people are interested only in their personal gains.

• Buying a visa to work in the state of Qatar may enable you to enter the country legally, but it does not necessarily mean there's a job awaiting you.

• Make sure that the agents are not illegal. You may ask to check their license that is approved by the Ministry in Qatar.

• Make sure that you're well aware of the nature of the job, salary and residence.

• Any verbal agreements you make with the employer before coming to Qatar will have no legal binding whatsoever and can be easily violated after your arrival. You must insist on acquiring a work contract directly before you start. This will protect you from facing one of the following:

- Exploitation by employer, making you perform duties not agreed on.

- Compensation that is less than what has been agreed on, or keeping you working for months without paying your salary.

- Not providing the appropriate accommodation agreed by the employer.

You must be sure of having required vocational qualifications to work in Qatar, and inform the employment agent in your country of any courses you have taken to enhance your performance.

Q: Is it legal for recruitment agencies in the State of Qatar to charge you the expenses required to bring you to Qatar?

It is Not Legal for Qatari contractors to charge you any amount as fees or expenses for bringing you to Qatar.

Q: What are the procedures your employer must undertake as soon as you arrive in the State of Qatar?

• If you have signed a contract in advance, he must initiate residency permit procedures.

• If you have not signed a contract, you must ask your employer to give you a contract, authenticate it by the Labour Department, and then start residency procedures.

Q: Is it legal to work in Qatar without a contract?

It is illegal to work in Qatar without a written and signed contract between you and your employer; this can bring you many troubles. However if the employer refuses to sign a contract, you can prove your employment status by all kinds of proof.

Q: What are the required documents to complete work and residency procedures in Qatar?

Good conduct certificate from your country of origin, attested by authorised agencies. The certificate must be endorsed by the embassy of your country in Qatar as well as by Qatar's Foreign Ministry.

Medical examination to ensure that you are fit for work, this examination is repeated in Qatar by the authorised bodies. You will be expelled by Qatari authorities if you fail the medical examination.

Q: Is it legal for the employer to keep your passport?

It is not legal, employer should give back your passport upon completion of residence or residence renewal procedures. Residence should be renewed within a period of ninety days from its expiry date.

Q: What should the work contract primarily include?

• The name of the employer and the place of work

• The name and qualifications of the worker, his nationality, occupation, his address, and ID

• Date the contract is signed

• Kind of work, its nature, and the place the contract is made

• Date when the employee starts to work

• Duration of contract, if any

• Amount of salary, and time and method of payment

• Provisions of accommodation and transportation or allowances covering both of them are among the things that are advisable to be included in the contract.

Q: In case of a dispute with your employer about payment, is payment due from date contract is signed or from actual date of starting work?

The actual start of work is applicable, not the date of contract, provided the contract does not indicate otherwise.

Q: Is it permissible to keep an original copy of your contract?

Yes, and not getting a copy is considered a violation of the law.

Was this information useful? [Source: The Peninsula]