Qatar Labour Law & Wage protection System in Qatar

To maintain balance in a country, everyone must have rights. For that purpose, the government of every country makes some rules and laws. Qatar has also worked on this, and they have made labour law in Qatar so that people can also have safety and secure their future. Understanding labour rights can be challenging without a good understanding of the Country’s labour law.

One of the most important Qatar labour laws is the Wage Protection System. It is one of the crucial components that ensure fair pay and transparency employees and employers need to be informed about labor laws. For your convenience, the latest laws are mentioned below

What is Qatar Labour’s Law? 

Labour Law (Employment Law) is a set of rules & regulations that defines the rights in the relationship between employees and employers. It includes the commitment of various things such as : 

  • Working Hours 
  • Wages 
  • Benefits
  • Leave Entitlements    

Why is there a need for Qatar Labour Law?

For a better working environment, it is important to have rules and laws. Qatar labour law is a very important thing that has created a peaceful atmosphere at workplaces and almost got every possible right like

  • Minimum Wage
  • Annual leave
  • Sick leave
  • Extra salary for overtime

If you are not satisfied with your employer you can complain directly to Qatar labour law Ministry.

Wage Protection System (WPS) In Qatar

  • WPS is a system in Qatar that is necessary to be followed by all the companies.
  • It involves using the banks to pay employees. 
  • Employers have responsibilities like paying wages on time and providing clear pay statements. 
  • If employers don’t follow these rules, there can be serious consequences and legal problems.  

Recent Changes to Qatar Labour Law

Qatar is constantly trying to make rules that promote citizen rights and that is why a huge change has been seen in their laws from last year. The labour laws are also modified that are given as: 

  •  Workers are not required to request an exit permit if they are planning to leave Qatar
  • New procedures make the process of leaving jobs easier for employees. eg: They no longer need a No Objection Certificate (NOC). 
  • Establish a new minimum wage that should not be discriminated against.
  • Protect worker exploitation 
  • Introduced new programs such as the Workers Support and Insurance Fund. 

Documents Required to start a job in Qatar

Every company requires your documents to ensure that you are eligible for a job. These documents include your education status, medical fitness certificate and more documents like:

  1. The Employment Contract 
  2. A duly completed application form, the form Lab ministry medical fitness Certificate 
  3. Copy of employee passport
  4. Two passport-size photographs 
  5. Educational / Experience Certificate 
  6. Immigration Card of the Employee 
  7. The Employment Visa 
  8. Biometrics + Fingerprints 

Note: Every company has their requirements so the documents may vary so it’s a better option to confirm the required documents from the desired company. 

What Employment Contract Includes  

The given terms are included in the employment contract for the safety of the Employee, the employee contract must consist of all of the data relevant to the job to ensure the safety. An ideal contract must include the following in the contract

  1. Job Title 
  2. Responsibilities
  3. Personal Data 
  4. Start and end date of the Employment 
  5. Duration of a notice period 
  6. Annual Leave 
  7. Salaries 
  8. Benefits & Compensations 

Types Of Contracts

The Qatar contracts have been divided into 2 types of contracts depending on the situation and the deal that is made between the employer and worker.

Fixed Contract: 

It is known as a contract that indicates an employment agreement with a pre-fermented duration. It specifies the start and end dates of the employment period. 

Indefinite Contract: 

An indefinite contract is also known as a permanent contract. In this contract, employment duration does not have an end date  

List Of Main Articles for Labour in Qatar

Article 7: Leaving Qatar If an expatriate worker wants to leave Qatar, either the worker or their recruiter should inform the relevant department at the Ministry of Interior at least three working days before the planned exit date. The worker may leave the country as soon as possible after the recruiter informs the relevant department and they approve it. If the concerned department objects, the worker can resort to the expatriate exit petitions committee. In case of emergency, the committee shall decide on his exit permit request within 3 workdays. The interior minister shall issue a decision to form such a committee and specify its jurisdictions and procedure to be followed, in addition to its work mechanism
Article 8 : Custody Of Passport The recruiter shall hand over the passport of the worker to him upon finalizing the necessary procedure for issuance of his residency permit or renewal. The worker can request in writing to the recruiter to keep such documents for him, but these should be handed over when requested by the worker. The residence permit shall be done/renewed within 90 days of its expiry.
Article 12: Residence Permits for Family The concerned department at MOI can grant residence for the spouse, unmarried daughter, and undergraduate son up to the age of 25 years and also for the parents.
Article 14: Staying out of QatarThe expatriate worker who has a residency permit cannot stay out of the country for more than 6 months until they have the permit to return to the country.
Article 16: Designated Work Only The expatriate worker is only allowed to do designated work and is not allowed to leave the job.
Article 17: Responsible Parties for each Visa
It highlights the facts under which the employment contract can be terminated from either the worker or the employer. The notice period is required.
Article 19: Notification about Workers who Quit Article 19: Notification about Workers Who Quit
Article 20: Transfer of JobsAccording to this article, the employer has the right to transfer his job before the expiry date of his work contract depending upon the various conditions.
Article 22: Litigation between the worker and the recruiter In case of any issue or litigation, the employer can temporarily work under another employer through the approval of the Ministry of Labour.
Article 26: Four-year ban in case of punishmentIn case the worker is fired as a punishment and he has not appealed to the concerned court then he will not be allowed to return to the country before the passage of 4 years.
Article 38: Penalties for the violation The worker and the employer both can be subjected to punishment in case anyone loses and also has to pay penalties and can also be sentenced to jail.

Benefits to Labours

  1. These laws ensure that workers receive fair pay for their hard work.
  2. These laws prioritize the safety of workers, making sure that workplaces adhere to standards that protect employees from accident & health hazards
  3. These laws limit the working hours of employees for a healthy work life. 
  4. These laws protect the employees from unfair dismissal & provide a sense of stability in their careers.

Conclusion

Understanding labour laws is important for both employees and employers. These laws are designed to promote fairness and ensure that the workers are being provided with fair wages, working conditions, and reasonable hours of working. You can find out ways to complain about employer.

Frequently Asked Question

They cannot stay out of the country for more than six months.

No, you cannot work without prior authorization.

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