End of exit permits in Qatar for most of the expatriate workers

End of exit permits in Qatar for most of the expatriate workers

It was mandatory for the expat worker to obtain an exit permit through his sponsor to exit Qatar temporarily for a short period or permanently for good. Qatar has now brought a major policy change in which it has partially put an end to exit permits. Expat workers will no longer have to obtain exit permits in order to leave the country within the duration of the work contract.

The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Tuesday the Law No. 13 of 2018, amending certain provisions of the Law No. 21 of 2015 regulating the entry, exit, and residency of expatriates. New legislation adopted on September 4, 2018, marks a significant step changing one of the most controversial points in Qatar Labour Law and it upholds the rights of workers in Qatar. Law No. 13 of 2018, amends provisions of Law No. 21 of 2015 and Law No. 1 of 2017, which regulate the entry and exit of expatriates. Under the previous legal framework, all migrant workers were required to obtain an exit permit from their employer in order to leave Qatar. With this new law, migrant workers covered by the Labour Code will be able to leave Qatar without having to obtain such a permit, reported in thepeninsulaqatar.com,

As per the new law,

• The employers may submit the names of workers for whom a “no objection certificate” would still be required(must not exceed 5% of their total employees).
• Employers should submit the names to the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA)for approval.
• The companies will be notified upon approval of the submitted names

The new law also stipulates that an expatriate worker, who is not allowed to exit the country for any reason, can approach the Expatriate Exit Grievances Committee. For this, HE the Minister of Interior shall issue a decision regarding its formation, jurisdiction, procedures, and work mechanism. The committee shall decide on grievances within three working days. The new law is effective starting from the day following its publication in the official gazette, reported gulf-times.com