What changes in the law mean for residency permits

The work force in Qatar, particularly expats are eagerly awaiting the implementation of the changes in the labour law. The changes are set to be implemented in December later this year. Everyone has his or her own expectations from the changes. The employers may be anxious and circumspect but the workers are overwhelmingly hopeful. 

The changes are set to reform the labour market to a significant extent as the ambiguity surrounding many issues would be cleared and the role of the Ministry of Labour would become much more effective in regulating the labour market and overseeing the relations between the workers and the employers. 

The changes are expected to pave way for a work environment which is more efficient on the one hand and on the other it is hopefully going to put an end to the practice visa selling and also prevent bogus companies from misusing the visa laws. If all goes well, the changes should overhaul the image of the labour market of Qatar in the eyes of international media and rights organisations. 

The State has made it clear that it intends to plug all the loopholes in the law and update the regulations to improve the work culture in the country. 

In order to prove their serious, the concerned authorities updated wages control system that enables all related organisations to be involved in a way that leads to the best improvement in labour market. Also, the new wage system facilitates supervision of companies’ compliance to the law and assures their committed to their obligations towards their employees, points out Abdelaal A Khalil, a legal advisor. 

The new labour law won’t be much different from the current labour law, however, many articles which were habitually misused by employers have been amended. 

One such article is concerned with the transfer of ‘sponsorship’, the old article was somewhat favourable to the employers, however, the new amended article mandates that the employees can change their sponsors without the approval of their current sponsors, provided some conditions are met. 

The changes in the labour law suggest that authorities in Qatar have identified the need to amend the laws in order to make the economy function efficiently and remain competitive in the global economic system. And also at the same the changes in the law would also clear many ambiguities that plague the current law. 

The most significant reform that the new law would inculcate in the labour law of Qatar the essence of employment contracts. Previously, an employee was required to mandatorily produce a ‘no objection letter’ from his current employer if he/she wanted to work for another employer, this clause was misused by employers many a times and even led to many talented people leaving Qatar altogether. The new law seems to have addressed this issue to a great extent as the new article states that the employee has the right to change the employer in two ways; either upon completion of his contract term or after five years of service in case the contract is unlimited. 

The new law also makes the residency of an employee as a responsibility of the employer and the employee-employer relation is codified, enumerated, iterated in the form of the employment contract and remains effective from the date the employment begins to the date it ends.

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