Job Offer: Production Supervisor, but Visa Profession: Labourer
My visa is already available through the MOI website, but there is one huge discrepancy: the Profession says "Labourer". The job offer letter that I signed was for "Production Supervisor". I am meeting the recruiter this Thursday (a schedule which they set), and will discuss this issue. I intend to have the visa rectified while I am still here in the Philippines.
While waiting for said meeting, I'd like to ask this forum about the implications of having this "Labourer" profession in the visa. Would any of you know why an employer would put in "Labourer" knowing that there is a huge difference in the job assignments between a "labourer" and a "production supervisor"? Would the employer spend less on processing fees if the visa is for a "labourer" as opposed to a "production supervisor"? Would the employer gain anything, in any conceivable way, if an incoming expat is registered in the system as a "labourer"? Maybe enjoy benefits similar to tax breaks? I would truly appreciate your input. This is a very important issue to me as I believe that this visa will be the basis for data entered into my records in the Qatari system when I arrive.
Please note that I have not signed any job contract just yet. I signed only the job offer letter as acceptance of the terms and conditions of my job (e.g. basic salary, working hours, duration of contract, housing and transportation provided by the employer, etc.). More information is available in a previous post of mine via this link:
http://www.qatarliving.com/forum/visas-permits/posts/work-visa-status-moi-website-says-printing-about-month-already
Thank you, everybody, for your valued advice and opinions on this matter!
To get profession changed, fill the application form along with company stamp and sponsor signature
1) Copy of Company computer Card and municipality certificate
2)Copy of Sponsor ID Card
3) Electricity bill
4) Your Education certificate Copy (Translated to arabic)
4) Bank Statement(6 months)
5) New three Labour Contract with new profession
6) Copy of Current Labour Contract
7) Your Passport and ID card copy
Go to labour department in the C Ring road near by American hospital, submit above papers. With the submission receipt and all of application forms, go to 3rd floor officer Mr Abdullah and get signed on the application form. (He will advise you if any changes is required on the application form)
After getting officer signature, Please go to the next building where new labour contracts are attesting, submit all of the papers along with the new contracts.
You will have to pay 60 QR for new labour contract attestation. After these steps you will have one attested new labour contract and the same previous submission receipt.
Now you wait for another 7 days , In the mean time get a new ID application form filled up and go to Garaffa immigration department building No 1, first floor , show your receipt , they will check and if your papers are arrived you will get one signed paper. With this paper, new ID card form and original passport submit in the ground floor where visa stamping on passport. Pay 300 QR then you will get visa stamped with new profession and ID card.
Dear Sir,
We will give an example for you to understand.
The company applies for visas at Ministy of Labour, like
10 Indian Male Engineer visa
20 Nepal Male Labour visa
2 Sri Lakan Male Accountant visa
5 Philippines Male Admin visa
1 Philippine Female Secretary visa
1 Pakistan Driver Visa
What gets approved is something like this;
1 Moroco Male Engineer visa
2 Indian Male Engineer visa
1 Tunnisia Male Engineer visa
2 Indian Male Engineer visa
3 Nepal Male Labour visa
1 Indian Male Labour visa
1 Philippines Male Labour visa
2 Sri Lankan Male Admin visa
1 Sri Lankan Female Secretary visa
1 Nepal Driver Visa
To make changes is uphill task and chances of rejection is very high therefor the company will hire an Production Supervisor and pay him as per the labour contact signed and submitted in Ministry of labour but will issue him labour visa as they have only labour visa available for Philippines national.
Six month (sometimes one year) after getting your Qatar resident permit you can change yourself with the consent of the company.
Regards,
Sheen Services WLL
www.SheenServices.com
It is easy to say that you care more about the job waiting for you and not what other will think. Believe me, that was my mindset before. You will understand what we mean when you actually get here and experience it. There is a running joke that an engineer here could just be a carpenter in their country, all because of what his/her visa states. It's an offensive joke, yes, but you would be surprised that it is true in some companies. Like what acchabaccha said, be prepared.
You may stay firm on your ground on the basis of maintaining a respect demanded by your position, but I believe in the end you will see your employer telling you straight across the table, "This is how it works here. Take it or leave it." The choice will then be all yours. Keep yourself prepared for this.
The whole visa issue in Qatar is a circus.
It is always preferred to get the proper job title on your visa.
when hearing such discussions , I am always reminded of a joke I heard in saudi arabia..
A Lion was brought to Riyadh Zoo with all the fanfare and pomp. Here comes the King of the jungle. He got a nice cage in a shade and looked forward to his stay.
The first morning , the keeper threw a large bag of food into the cage. He pounced on it. tore it open and dicovered a large bunch of bananas.
He thought its a mistake, but ate them any way.
The next day the same happened and then the next.
Finally after a few days of eating bananas , he got fed up and grabbed the keeper.
"What's going on? I'm a meat eater and all I get are bananas" said the lion
"You may be king of the jungle and a meat eater, but here your visa / Iqama says Monkey" said the keeper
@acchabaccha I see. Thank you very much. Was there ever a nurse who arrived in Qatar designated as "Cleaner"? Or perhaps a welder whose profession in the visa was "Architect"?
@nicholefernandez Thanks, but it's not how others will perceive me that I am worried about. I am worried about the implications of the visa that my employer have for me which, eventually, extends to the job contract and my actual job waiting for me in Qatar. Forgive me but I find it silly to point out to people who I meet that I'm a supervisor, unless if it's for official business.
Your comments to my post have been very informative, and I assure you that these will be very helpful in my meeting with the recruiter. Thank you very much,fawzerm, acchabaccha and nicholefernandez. Eid Mubarak.
Yes, each employer is given only a set of visas they can use. @acchabaccha is right. They may have applied for a supervisor visa but was approved for a labourer one. Or worst case scenario was they gave you an offer letter as a supervisor but in reality, the visa that they have when they hired you is for labourer designation. Better get it sorted out. There is a huge difference between a supervisor and labourer, more so if it is stamped on your visa. There is a certain stigma concerning the job titles on the visa. Simply put, you will be more credible to anybody here if you have "supervisor" rather than labourer on your card.
No, no, I guess you are still somewhat confused over the system that works here. As I have stated earlier the employer is simply helpless in getting the type of visa he has applied for. He may have applied for your category but was issued a "labourer visa" instead. I suggest you don't make this into an issue. Just grab the opportunity and come here when you will get to understand things better through your Kabayans. There are many here whose profession are different from the type of visa they have. It hardly matters especially when you don't need a driving license or plan to bring your family here, At the end of the day, it is the Riyal you have in your pocket that matters.
Thank you for your comment, acchabaccha.
If the visas for my category have been exhausted, it implies that another recruit has been given a visa that was supposed to be mine. And similarly, the visa that I have (the Labourer designation) is meant to be for someone else. Simple accidental switching.
I have read from comments in previous posts regarding the work visa is that every work (or any) visa is exclusively given to one person and is not transferable. That is why details of his/her name, passport number and, ultimately, his/her identity is specified in the visa. This so far is my understanding of the concept of issuance of visas in Qatar.
I do not think you will be able to have the "error" corrected. Designations on visas are not in the hands of employers. They are done by the government. From what I know, each country has a quota for certain visas and it may just be possible that visas for your category may have exhausted. As such, the company is getting you here on the visa they have in hand. Trust this clarifies.
I forgot to mention that I am a single man, and that my family (i.e. parents and siblings) has no intention of coming to Qatar. The driving license is no issue for me either because the employer did stipulate in the job offer that transportation will be provided by them.
Thank you, fawzerm, for taking the time to provide information. I will push through with having the error corrected, and I intend to arrive in Qatar with my official documents in order and not contain any false or erroneous information.
Hi better get the designation on the visa sorted. Coz for labour visas u are not eligible to take driving license and you cannot sponsor you family and difficult to take them even on visit. As far as I know