Advisory Council wants more revisions on proposed changes to labour law
The Advisory Council reviewed the draft law that regulates the entrance, exit and residency of expatriates in Qatar on Monday and decided to send it back to legislative committee for more revisions.
The council, which is responsible for approving laws before the Emir sanctions it, did not seem satisfied with and agreed to send the draft law back to the Internal and External Affairs Committee for further study, reported QNA.
According to the draft law, expatriates will be able take up a new job either after completing the contract with the current employer or in case of open contracts after serving the recruiter for five years.
For changing a job, the expatriate worker has to secure the prior approval of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
"In all cases the rights of the employer who recruited the worker and the provisions of the work contract between the employer and the worker should not be undermined."
One of the articles of the draft law provides for the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs to approve the temporary transfer of expatriate workers to another employer in case there is a dispute going on between the worker and his employer.
Those who do not fall under the labour law, can be transferred to another employer in case the recruiter has been proven to have abused his rights or if public interest dictates so. However, domestic workers are not covered by the labour law.
Workers who are terminated for violating any clause of the labour law or any other law and are unable to win an appeal against their dismissal, will be allowed to come back to Qatar for work only after four years from the date of their departure.
"The Minister could issue residency permits for some categories of expatriates such as investors, owners of real estate and residential units and their dependents, and any other category specified through a decision of the Cabinet. The duration of residency for such categories shall be five years and renewable for similar periods.
Foreigners who come under such categories can enter and exit the country without the need for permits or visas throughout the period of validity of their residency in Qatar."
The law stipulates that foreigners cannot enter the country without a proper visa and work visas can be granted only on the basis of an employment contract with a recruiter.
Captains of ships and aircraft as well as vehicle drivers should submit a list of their crew to the department concerned as soon as they arrived in the country.
Similarly, managers of hotels and tourism facilities should provide information about the individuals who were allowed to enter the country through them.
The draft law specifies the persons responsible for the residency of expatriates in the country as: employers, heads of families, hosts in case of visitors, and the official departments concerned for those who come for other purposes. [Gulf Times]
Photo for illustration only.
see the point is we should be having a freedom of working anywhere..like in western countries.why don't they change the sponsorship system.under this system we are slaves for the time period.and don't forget its because of we expats that Qatar is this much developed and growing its economy fastly.Compare the Qatar 20 years with today..we definitely deserve more.
I have never understood why expats get so uptight . We come here on a contract which we sign and agree to. It's usually for a fixed period. We know this when we sign.
So when it ends - just be grateful for the time you had and move on.
Qatar offers us a living but it's not our home. We are EXPATS
this report is just a joke:D...dont expect anything gud frm Qatar.they will make another strict law in exchange of previous one.n guys just be honest we expat are slaves here..
Qatar changes its law more quickly than i change my clothes...LOL
Hi, Let authorities/Ministers decide their country laws with own course of time. If we bother about that let spread our wings to other countries.
Ishu , Thanks for your research ............ .............. Wed, 24.06.2015, 11.21 hrs
There are two aspects: over-enthusiasm/expectation from expats like you and me and the reluctance of the authorities to fully put this law into practice.
the draft as published in media is more restrictive set of laws in many clauses.
again the majority of expat population is expecting a stop to the so called kafala system and the exit permit.
The authorities are looking to refine them and put into laws so that they are protected at the same time restricting and in a new feel good packet.
the possibility of abolishing the kafala system is nowhere seen in the near future. adding to it is the new statistics report that says more than 87% of the population are expats.
keep dreaming and dreaming and dreaming....
Matured dogs to be seen in every firm :(
HaHaHaHa... Same old. Approval, Approval from an authority to switch companies makes no difference.
I am just laughing at this news, this has been on headlines when I came here, 2 years back, up to now?????? Hehehe. If there's a will, there's a way. If they want there could be lot of ways to move this forward and fast, if they don't want there'll be a trillion excuses.
Let's not hope, so we won't be disappointed.
Let's work and enjoy its fruits, till another opportunity opens somewhere.
Give them a couple of years to decide.
I hope the draft now doesn't play Tennis going & coming for ages until it is signed.
anyone knows or heard about the striked last Friday in street 52 were the labours are sitting in the middle of the street while the polices are controlling them?
NOC and getting Ministry of labor approval are two sides of same coin. Don't expect anything favorable from expats point of view. Modern day slavery cannot be abolished from there mentality. This is the fact. Also domestic workers who are abused and tortured daily are being excluded from this labor law, which means they should serve there boss until they die. What a shame. Where is FIFA and International Labor Organization(ILO) now, why they are not forcing Qatar for Human friendly rules. Its all Money game both with FIFA and ILO. There mouth is loaded with billions of Qatari cash that they cannot afford to open there mouth. Welcome to Qatar.
Waste of time to wait for above in any aspects!
Let's be serious. Qatar is never going to allow unrestricted freedom of movement
The Ministry of Labour already has a say in this aspect. They can refuse your transfer or RP
Brit, the new proposal is that even after completing your contract term (or 5 years) you will still be required to obtain permission from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. In other words, they are replacing an NOC with Ministry Approval. All of the new changes represent a more restrictive set of laws than those that currently exist.
Depends on your contract. If its fixed term, then you can change
Expatriates can take up a new job either after completing the contract with the current employer or in case of open contracts after serving the recruiter for five years>>>>>does this mwean that if i'm done with my two years of contract i can look for another job without going home,,or i have to serve my employern upto five years so i can look for onether job????? i'm confused..
Doha News has a better and more accurate report.