overview on qatar’s sponsorship legal system

Overview on

Qatar’s Sponsorship Legal System

Richelle Segura

11 June 2015

Private & Confidential © Al-Ansari & Associates 2015

© Al-Ansari & Associates 2015

Sponsorship System:

Employment Sponsorship.

Personal Sponsorship.

Liabilities of Sponsor.

Changes to Employment/Sponsorship:

Law No. 1 of 2015.

Proposed changes to Sponsorship Law.

Contents

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Sponsorship Legal System

Under Qatar Laws

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Sponsorship Requirement:

Each foreigner intending to reside in the State

must get a relevant permit from the competent

authority thereto.

Exit Permit Requirement & Types:

• Required in order to leave the country

• Single exit permit

• Multiple Exit Permit

• What happens if an exit permit is denied?

Employment Sponsorship

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Transfer of Sponsorship

• No-Objection Certificate is required.

• 1 year minimum period.

• Secondment.

• Limitation of 2 years.

What are the Recourses if its Denied?

• Seek Ministry of Interior approval.

• Complaint before the Human Rights Department in

the Ministry of Interior.

• Complaint before the National Human Rights

Committee.

Employment Sponsorship

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Personal SponsorshipSpousal Sponsorship

Husband

Employer

Wife and KidsJob

Wife can’t be forced

to transfer

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Personal SponsorshipSpousal Sponsorship

Wife

Employer

Husband and KidsEmployer

Wife and Kids

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Personal SponsorshipSpousal Sponsorship

Man

Employer Employer

Marriage

Woman

Wife

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Can you sponsor a domestic workers

(i.e. maid, driver)?

• Need to be Married man/woman

• Public Employees can face deduction of

salary if they did not pay entitlements.

Sponsoring Immediate Family (i.e.

Parents, Siblings)

• One month.

• Extendable to 6 months.

Domestic & Family Sponsorship

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Would a sponsor be liable for his

employee’s personal loan?

• Duly notified and approved in writing.

• Exhaustion of sponsored debtor’s

money/properties.

Liability toward any fees associated

with expatriation.

Liability toward any fees associated

with Funeral/Burial expenses.

Liabilities of Sponsor

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Sponsorship for work shall be borne by employer

Head of the family shall be the sponsor of his

family members.

Residing host shall be the sponsor of visiting

guest (i.e. immediate family members).

Husband retains sponsorship of his wife and

children even if the wife secures a job later.

Wife who comes to Qatar for work can sponsor

her husband and kids.

Qatari woman married to a foreigner may sponsor

her husband and children.

Summary of Rules

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Labour Law Updates

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Mandatory requirement for companies

to pay employees through direct bank

transfers.

To monitor delayed salary payments.

Qatar Central Bank preparing policies.

Enacted Amendments

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Proposed changes being reviewed:

• Change to Exit Permit: 3 day maximum

notice to authorize exist permit.

Employment Contract rules not

sponsorship:

• Definite/Fixed Period.

• Indefinite Period.

Changes to Sponsorship Law

Proposed Changes

Al-Ansari & Associates

Muraikh Tower, 14th Floor

Al Corniche, Old Salata Area

P.O. Box 24533

Doha, Qatar

T: +974 44913355

F: +974 44913356

info@alansarilaw.com

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Al-Ansari & Associates

Your contact office is: Al-Ansari & Associates, Muraikh Tower, 14th Floor, Al Corniche, Old Salata Area, P.O.

Box 24533, Doha, Qatar | Tel +974 44913355| Fax +974 44913356 | www.alansarilaw.com. In this document

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