Emir issues law regulating residency

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Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday issued Law Number 21 of 2015 regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and their residency.

The law is to be implemented one year after the date of its publication in the official gazette, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

According to the law, no foreign worker will be allowed to enter Qatar unless he has signed a job contract with the employer and the contract is signed by both the parties.

Hotels and tourism facilities providing entry visas to foreigners must inform the authorities concerned if the person is missing for 48 hours. Such information must be passed on within 24 hours.

An expatriate or his employer must inform the authorities concerned for exit permit three days before an expatriate has to travel overseas.

In case the employer or the authorities concerned object to the travel, the worker can approach a Grievance Committee at the Ministry of Interior to seek exit permit. The committee is to be set up and its job is to be specified by a ministerial decision.

An expatriate worker can leave Qatar either getting approval from his employer or from the authorities concerned. In emergency cases, the Grievance Committee, based on an expatriate’s request to leave Qatar, must take a decision within three working days.

Residency permits of expatriates must be renewed within 90 days of expiry. The employer cannot keep his worker’s passport or travel document except with written permission from him (the worker). Within 30 days of arrival of an expatriate here, his RP should be processed.

An expatriate’s spouse and children up to 25 years of age (if daughters are unmarried) are entitled to RP. The age limit can be waived by the Minister or his representative.

In the case of a newborn, its RP must be stamped within 90 days from the date of birth.

An expatriate worker with RP cannot stay abroad for more than six months unless he has sought permission and for that and has paid the required fee.

An expatriate worker will be responsible for the entry and stay of his spouse (even if she works) and children. If divorced, a spouse can apply for approval from the authorities concerned to be the employer’s responsibility.

All employers must be responsible for repatriation of their employees and in case of death, repatriation of the bodies home.

The employer must inform authorities within 24 hours if an expatriate worker has left work and refuses to leave Qatar if his RP has been cancelled.

Expatriate workers with limited duration employment contracts, can change the employer at the end of their contract period provided they have approval from their existing employer, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Before the end of job contract, an expatriate worker can take up another job if he has approval from his present employer and both ministries.

If the job contract is open-ended, a worker can change job after five years with approval from his current employer and both ministries.

If an employer dies and his company becomes inactive, its employees can change job with the above-said approvals.

The Ministry of Interior can temporarily depute a worker to another company for a temporary period in case of a lawsuit, etc., subject to the approval of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

In case of abuse of a worker, the Minister or his representative can transfer the job of an expatriate worker.

An expatriate worker must leave Qatar within 90 days if he is not issued RP, or his RP is cancelled or has expired.

He can come back to take up a job only after he gets approval from authorities and fulfils requirements.

Workers deported by court order cannot come back except after approval from the Minister or his representative.

Foreign businessmen, investors and real estate owners, as identified by the Cabinet, will be issued RP for five years renewable for further five years or more.

Spouses, children and parents of expatriates will not need exit permit to leave Qatar.