Qatar is an expanding country in terms of its industries and economy. Qatar has been bringing a professional and trained workforce to ensure they have the right talent setting up and running the operation. If you wish to build a life and a career in Qatar, you will need to obtain Qatar work visas.
In this article, we will look at the Qatar work visa, how to obtain it, the needed documents, who is qualified to get it, and will also answer some common questions.
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Qatar Work Visa Eligibility
The Qatari government is cautious because they want eligible people to travel to the country and start working. Employers have to meet the following eligibility standards for traveling to Qatar:
Be an authentic traveler
Employees must not have malicious and menacing intentions behind their reason for traveling to the country.
Eligible to possess enough funds to pay for all expenses
Employees must be able to provide and support themselves and any dependents who stay with them.
Have reasons to return
Because a work visa is not permanent, employees must have strong ties to their home country to guarantee their return after their visa expires.
Have good character
Employees must prove they have clean criminal records. They can show their pure characteristics by providing PCC or Police Clearance Certificate.
Have good health
To be approved, employees must be in good physical and mental condition. In addition, they must meet the minimum health standards set by the Qatari officials.
What are the Required Documents for a Qatar Work Visa?
To start a career in Qatar, foreign employees need two pieces of permits. First, they must obtain a work permit and a residence permit.
Work Permit
These documents below are essential for applying for a Qatar work permit:
- The employment contract with a Qatari employer
- A filled out visa application form issued by the Ministry of Labour
- A medical health certificate
- A copy of the employee’s passport
- Passport photos (Two photos)
- Employee’s educational background and certificates
- The employer’s immigration card
- The employment visa
- Biometrics, such as employer’s fingerprints
Residence Permit
The employee will need to submit these documents in order to obtain a residence permit:
- A valid passport
- Employee’s passport photos (must have two images)
- The Qatari employment visa
- A copy of the company’s Commercial Registration that the employee is going to work for.
- A copy of the business’s immigration card
- The medical certificate of the employee
- Vaccination certificate
- A negative PCR test
Passport
All applicants must provide passports. Passports also require to:
- Be valid for another 6 months.
- Be original and not forged.
- Have at least two blank pages to stamp the visa.
- Be in good condition and not be torn, ripped, split, or damaged.
Photographs
Applicants must provide two photocopies. Valid and accepted photos for passports must have the specifications below:
- Photo dimentions: 35 mm x 45 mm.
- 80% of the applicant’s face must be in the frame clearly.
- The applicant’s head should be in the center.
- The picture must be taken in the recent 6 months.
- The photo background must be white.
- Applicant must have neutral facial expressions (No smiling or frowning).
- Applicant’s glasses must not be in the photo.
- Only headgears for religious reasons are allowed.
- Clothing shouldn’t match the background.
- Applicant needs a copy of the photo with general photo guidelines.
- The photo has to have a matte finish.
- If the applicant has long hair, the hair must be tied back.
- Applicant’s ears must be visible.
- Applicant’s teeth should not be in the photo.
Vaccination certificate
All applicants must be fully vaccinated against the Coronavirus with the vaccines below:
- Pfizer BioNTech (two doses)
- Moderna (two doses)
- AstraZeneca (two doses)
- Johnson & Johnson (one dose)
PCR test
Applicants must have a negative RT-PCR test. They must complete their tests within 72 hours before arrival.
How Can I Apply for Qatar Work Visa?
To apply for a work visa, foreigners need to have found a job with an employer in Qatar that is approved by the Ministry of Labour. This employer or company must act as their sponsor and take responsibility for the application before foreigners apply for Qatar’s work residence permit.
As long as there is no reason for the employee’s transfer to another, the employee must remain with the same employer during the work period and must leave once the job has been completed.
Here is a list of different steps of acquiring a Qatar work residence permit:
Find a Job
First, applicants must find a job before they start their application process for their working visa. Then, once the job is found, the employer has to do most of the application process.
Prepare Documents
After signing the employment contract, the employer applies to the Qatari government to hire an expatriate. The company or employer needs to prepare documents to apply for a temporary permit for the employee. Because requirements for different types of jobs often differ, employers should know which documents are needed to start the application process. Employers should have multiple copies of their papers. These copies should be legally notarized.
Receive a Temporary Residence Permit and Travel to Qatar
The employer will organize and send a temporary residence permit. With this permit, the employer can travel to Qatar.
Apply for a work residence permit
After arriving, applicants have to follow the standard procedures to exchange their
temporary residence permit for a work permit. This process is two to four weeks long. Until this process is finished, applicants are not allowed to leave the country.
Applicants must collect some documents based on their employers’ instructions, such as their:
- passport
- certificate of good behavior
- latest educational certificate
The Qatari embassy in the applicant’s home country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must certify the applicant’s documents. In addition, the Ministry of Public Health offers an online booking service so that foreigners can book their health and medical examinations in advance. Once the forms have been submitted, they are then processed by the Criminal Evidence and Information Department.
Register employment contract
Finally, when the work permit is obtained, applicants can
- Start their life in Qatar.
- Get their Qatar ID.
- Apply for a driving license.
- Rent a place.
- Open a bank account.
Their employment contracts must be registered with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs in Arabic. This should contain the title of the job, the hours worked, and the salary and other benefits of the position.
How Much is a Qatar Work Visa?
The overall process of obtaining a Qatar work visa costs 700 QR or 192,25 UDS.
How Long is a Qatar Work Visa Valid?
A Qatar Work Visa is valid for 1 to 3 months. However, the employer can renew the work permit for one to three years via the government’s Residence Services portal.
How Long is a Qatar Work Visa Application Process?
This process can take up to four weeks. However, you can begin your life in Qatar once you receive the Work Residence Permit.
The Bottom Line …
Qatar offers work visas for professionals and experts to travel to Qatar and start their life and work in the country. In addition, Qatar’s work visa provides benefits like renting a place, opening a bank account, etc.
In this essay, we explained the process of acquiring a Qatari work visa and the required documents. If you have any experience related to work visas, please share them with us
