Hiring requirements for Qatar
Hiring requirements for Qatar
In 2015, Qatar introduced a new labor law designed to streamline the hiring process significantly. This legislation replaced the kafala system with a contract-based system. The new regulations aim to simplify job changes and departure procedures for migrant workers, marking a significant advancement in the protection and enhancement of expatriate workers' rights in Qatar. Previously, the kafala system required foreign workers to obtain their employer's consent to travel or change jobs, a system that rights groups criticized for leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation and forced labor.
To acquire a Qatar work permit, you first need to secure an entry visa or change your current visa status to a work visa. Your work permit, also known as a labor card, will be included in your work visa documentation.
Non-Qatari citizens who are members of the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states can attain a GCC residency visa to live and work in Qatar. This applies to citizens of the states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Outside these countries, non-citizens will need to acquire a work visa to legally work in Qatar.
Due to Qatar’s specific laws, female employees may require additional considerations when applying for a work permit. Though a man who is living in Qatar under a family residency permit can apply for a work permit on his own, a married woman living in Qatar on a family residence permit may need official permission from her husband.
All non-Qatari citizens outside GCC citizens will need preexisting employee sponsorship to apply for a work permit.