Guy looking for a new life in a new land.
So, this is my first post on this site.  I browsed around a bit and this looks like a quality community with quality people that are actually interested in helping. It's an honor to be a part of it and look forward to me asking all sorts of questions in the future.
Anywho, let me get on with my topic.
So I just wrapped up a short nomadic lifestyle that lead me to many different areas of the U.S. of A. Durring this time I experienced some things that brought some peace to a previously confusing and hectic life. Now I feel that it is time to start preparing my life for the rest of my life (which I discuss a bit in my profile). The way that Qatar comes into the picture is that I took a Greyhound bus from my hometown to the place I was staying so that I can pick up some of my belongings (car, electronics, etc.).  Well, on the bus I met this wonderful woman who just happened to be from Qatar and is going to school in the U.S. She told me a bit about Qatar and now she has me seriously considering moving there. So here are some questions in no particular order.
  1. How much money should I bring with me if her family is going to accept me as a guest and help me to find a job. Â
  2. The riyal has an exchange rate of one dollar equaling 3.64 riyals. Now this means that if I brought 10,000 dollars it would be equal to 36,400 riyals. Now would that be as good as it sounds or does something that costs 5 dollars here cost 15 riyals there?
  3. Would it be possible to find a job over the net to arrange something before I come? (I went to one website but I found it rather confusing.)  If there are any I would appreciate your help in prividing some sites. (...just looked back at the forum main page and saw the "Working in Qatar section. I'll leave this question here but I'll be sure to check that section out.)
  4. Hmm, my Greyhound bus friend said you don't need a Visa to come to Qatar...but this site says differently. Not really a question, just ramblings of a man awake at 1:18 am. ;p
  5. From the experiences of the people on this site, do you believe it will be easy for a person from the US to integrate into the Qatari culture and life style?
Thanks in advance for the help that you all will hopefully give me. Bless and let me go to bed before I start to ramble on about nonsensical nonsense. ;)
hello dustfly,
let me share how i prepared when i came here.
1. i stayed with my brother when i arrived here. i only brought $ 500. after three weeks, i already accepted a job offer.
2. $1 is equal to 3.65QR. so if you have $1000 that means you have 36,500QR. that's already big money here, you dont have to worry anymore.
3.You can check top companies here and apply on line. Like QP. Rasgas, Qatar Airways and a lot more. But the processing may take time. If you want fast, its better to come here and apply as a local hire.
4. I think you need a tourist visa upon entry. But to make it sure, you can log to www.traveldocs.com for more information.
5. As for the culture, this country is conservative. there are rules to observe. even me as an asian find it hard to adjust at times. there's too much freedom in my country. and since i'm a woman, there's a lot of things to watch out here.
so i hope i have answered your queries. hope u can come here in qatar!
labs
DG.... i have to clarify here.. sorry. The family who is hosting his stay here cannot get him a residence permit, unless they become his employers.
as for the other stuff....
Qatari companies have no trainee program for non-qataris. If you are inexperienced, you will find it very difficult getting a job here (well, one that you would like anyway)
If you have at least a couple of years experience in Hazourdous material handling, then you may be able to get into the HSE field with the oil and gas industry.
One thing i will say, please please please dont come here thinking that this is some utopian desert oasis where "love is all around". Qatar is as materialistic and "dog eat dog" as anywhere else. Lots of injustice and discrimination so be prepared. I fear that the young lady you met may have painted a rosier picture than reality. If she was qatari, im afraid that she may have not seen things from the other side of the fence.
To be totally brutal. Be prepared to be let down.
I hope im wrong and wish you luck.
It sounds like you've fallen in love with the idea that coming to Qatar is the answer to helping you find yourself. It looks good online but please be careful. If you don't have a degree, profession or a trade, you will be unskilled labor. Unskilled laborers are not paid well at all in this nation and are not well respected. The American Universities are very exclusive and it would be difficult to get in unless your were a straight A student back home in high school and college and you must have outstanding SAT or ACT test scores. The cost of education here is very high for a foreigner such as yourself. See if you can visit for 2 weeks on vacation/holiday and then see if you can make contacts. You sould then go home and think about it for a while and see what offers come in. Doing labor in 115 F heat is no picnic and you won't be treated well as a common laborer in my view. Consider a U.S. Territory such as Guam -- at least all the U.S. laws will be the same there. Best of luck no matter what you decide. The tourist visa cannot be conversted to a proper working resident visa. You will have to leave while your documents are processed and this can take a month of longer! Remember, be careful and don't make a quick decision.
Eaton0001
"No offence, but making money is the only reason to come to Qatar. Sorry."
LOL. Well, just consider me a fool that is always hoping that there is that perfect paradise somewhere out there.
And I did kind of pick up on Sammie's comment about how there are good colleges in Qatar from the Wikipedia page I visited. I was suprised at how many US based universities are out there. I did go to a University in Ohio for a bit but maybe some of the colleges in Qatar would suit me better. (Won't have a bunch of drunk frat and sorority kids running around everywhere.) Or maybe I'm still just a fool. ;)
::And DustFly goes back to trying to get sleep to envelope him in it's sweet embrace::
I will try and answer your questions in order.;
1) As much as you can. I recommend at least what it costs you to live for 3 months and than some. Also make sure you have a return plane ticket.
2)Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
3)You can do that, but you will find better jobs if you come here and get the lay of the land.
4)Yes, you will need to purchase a tourist Visa upon arrival in Qatar. This will last you 14 days before you have to pay for an extension or fly to Bharain to renew. To stay in the country for longer periods of time you will need a work or residency visa, this can be provided by your workplace or the family you are staying with. Keep in mind you will be at their whim and mercy, so you had better trust these people.
5)Are you Muslim? Than the answer is no, it is virtually impossible. You aren't Qatari, you will never be Qatari, and they will never consider you on the same plain as them.
From your profile
"And hopefully find a place...or a home...where people are not so concerned with just getting their own and being an a-hole."
No offence, but making money is the only reason to come to Qatar.
Sorry.
The big companies like ras gas etc do you would start training then advance up but over here they take ages to answer any questions and some times you can wait for months before they offer you the job but thats just qatar but there are some good colleges and unis over here as well.
Thanks Sammie.
I just thought of one more question to ask as I was getting ready for bed.
Do many companies in Qatar provide training for an entry level employee and if so do they provide many opportunities for advancement?
Try this website qatar e government it will help with the visa also try looking inot qatar gas or ras gas good money and also provide living and a working visa or there are a couple of recruitment agencies which are key resourses and clarendonparker this might be helpful