Qatar has completed the preparation for the regulations of the law regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and it will come into effect from 13th of December this year.

Executive regulations are bye-laws that explain each article of a law and explain in detail how they are to be put in force.
The law (Number 21 of 2015) regulating the entry, exit and residency of foreign workers was issued late last year, amending a previous legislation.

Law Number 21 of 2015, which abolishes the stipulations of Law Number 4 of 2009 regarding Regulation of the Expatriates Entry, Departure, Residence and Sponsorship, was issued on October 27 last year. 

Among other changes, the new law abolishes the current two-year ban on expatriates who want to come back to the country on a new visa. Presently it requires a no-objection certificate from the previous employer for a former resident to take up a new job in Qatar.

The new legislation will replace the sponsorship system and make the employment and stay of expatiates here entirely contract-based.

According to new labour law following changes are to be expected after December 14 

1. Contract based Employment: All expats in Qatar would now be entirely governed by contracts

2. Ban period under termination: Workers who terminate their job contracts and leave the country before completion of the contract period are not allowed to return to the country before the end of the contract period.
Worker who has a four years contract and he completed three years with the current sponsor and left without completing one more year cannot come back until next one year till his earlier contract period is over.

3. No Ban under completion of contract: Those who complete their contracts under the law can come back to Qatar next day of their departure if he/she found new job offers. Workers who complete their contracts can easily come back without facing any ban.

4. No new contracts to be signed: There is no need for the companies to make new contracts with their employees after implementation of the new law but the existing contracts will be valid as long as the employee is willing to continue in his job.

5. Contract period: Date he has signed the fresh employment contract will be the date from his contract would be counted.
All types of contracts will start from the date of enforcement of the new law regardless of how many years the employee had served in the company but this does not mean the previous years of service are not counted.

6. Domestic helps/Kadamas: Law will apply to domestic help as well.

7. Signing contracts: If the employer has agreed to hire the worker and processed his/her entry visa for work, the worker can sign the contract after arriving in Qatar. However, in case he refuses to sign the contract, he would be forced to go home, 

8. Five years maximum term: The work contract needs to be certified by the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs and the maximum period for work contract is five years.

9. Four years ban: If a foreign worker is fired as a punitive measure and he did not appeal his dismissal or his plea was rejected by a court, he shall not be permitted to come back to Qatar before the passage of four years, states Article 26 of the new law.
With inputs from Al Sharq and The Peninsula Qatar

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