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The rules governing the employment of workers in Qatar are governed by law No.14 of 2004 of
the Labour Law, administered by the Labour Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs. For persons intending to work in Qatar, a permanent residency visa and a work permit is
required to legally work in Qatar. The employer acts as the local sponsor for the employee and
arranges the necessary appointments to obtain both the visa and permit.
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Process:
Due to Qatarization laws, the Ministry will consider factors such as the existence of unemployed
Qatari nationals who may fill the position and whether the position can only be filled by a foreign
national in the process of approving work sponsorship of the company.
3. Employment Visas
It is the responsibility of the employer to obtain an employment visa for each employee that will
be hired before he/she enters Qatar. There is a possibility of entry into Qatar of the employee
under a visit visa, who can then apply for an employment visa, although work must not
commence until the employment visa is acquired. It is the employer who will become each
worker’s sponsor.
The following documents and information must be submitted to the Ministry of Labour by the
employer to obtain an employment visa:
1. Completed application form in Arabic
2. Copy of the Commercial Registration of the business
3. Immigration card of the business
4. Copy of a valid employment contract between sponsoring company and employee
5. Copy of the employee’s passport
6. Four passport-size photos
Once the employment visa is acquired, a copy should be sent to the employee and the original
lodged at the employee’s arrival airport prior to the employee’s arrival into Qatar. Employment
visas are generally valid from one to five years.
Cost: QAR 200
Time: 2 – 4 weeks
4. Work Permit
A work permit must be arranged for within seven working days of the employee’s arrival in
Qatar. Usually, this can only be done after an employment arrangement has been agreed upon.
Before an application for the work permit is submitted, a medical certificate must be obtained
indicating the health of the employee. The employee must take a medical test at a
government-approved hospital, and requires a copy of their passport, employment visa, four
passport-sized photos and a fee.
Once the medical certificate is issued, an application for a work and residence permit can be
applied for, issued for one, two or three years.
The required employer’s documents needed for a work permit are as follows:
1. Completed application form from the Ministry of Labour
2. Employment contract
3. Medical certificate of the employee
4. Copy of the Commercial Registration of the business
5. Immigration card of the business
6. 2 passport-sized photos of the employee
7. Copy of the employee’s passport
8. Employment visa
9. Relevant educational documents
10. Biometric fingerprints test
Time: 2 – 4 weeks
5. Residence Permit
Once the employment visa and work permit are approved and copies are sent to the employee,
the employee may travel to Qatar and collect the visa and necessary documents from the
airport. In addition, a medical check-up and fingerprint scans must be taken. The residence
permit application begins now which converts the work entry visa to a residence permit, where
the employee may not leave the country. The residence permit application is lodged by the
employer and must be commenced within 7 days of arrival.
The Labour Department must approve a dual language English and Arabic local contract under
Law No.14 of 2004 in the Labour Law. The employee’s employment documents such as the
employment contract must be presented for the application, otherwise other relevant documents
such as payroll records and bank statements must be submitted.
The following documents must be submitted by the employer to the Ministry of Labour:
1. Completed Residence Permit application for in Arabic and English
2. Original medical certificate
3. Copy of the Commercial Registration of the business
4. Copy of the immigration card of the business
5. 2 passport sized photos of the employee
6. Original employee’s passport
7. Original employment visa
8. Sponsor’s passport if employer is an individual
Once the residence permit is issued, the employee may work under the employer until their
employment terminates, which must be renewed every few years depending on each case.
Cost: QAR 1,200 per year
Time: Approximately 6 weeks
6. Exit Visa
An additional step for foreign nationals employed by a Qatari employer is that they obtain exit
permits from the Ministry of Interior before leaving Qatar. The sponsor/employer holds the
power to approving an exit permit to employees. The visa is valid for only seven days, and may
be a multiple-exit visa.
Cost: QAR 10 for a single exit permit. QAR 500 for a multiple-exit permit.