A new law by the MADLSA stipulates that foreign immigrants seeking to change jobs in Qatar can only be hired by those companies which have the same visa for the same nationality, gender and profession as that of the candidate.
The Law no. 21 of 2015 on the Entry, Exit and Residency of Foreign Nationals puts forth that migrant workers who have completed the stipulated tenure with their current employers are eligible for change of jobs.
However, MADLSA in a statement has clarified that the change can be effected only if a valid vacancy is available.
For example, a “Filipino male accountant” who wants to leave his current employer and join another firm can be hired only by a company that has the approval for employing a “Filipino male accountant”.
These regulations are meant for all private-sector jobs in the country. MADLSA also stipulates that candidates who are on fixed-term contracts and want to join a new firm should submit a notice of 30 days prior to the termination of the contract.
Moreover, if an employment contract is open-ended, a worker should stay in the job for a minimum five years to be eligible for a change.
Furthermore, MADLSA announces that the new employer should not have any restrictions on recruitment, such as a hiring ban imposed by the authorities concerned for previous violation’s reported by the Gulf Times.
As a matter of act, age of the person looking for a new employer should be less than 60 years, as stated by MADLSA.
Meanwhile, the ministry is also planning to stop the renewal of employment contracts of expatriate workers aged 60 and above. The decision stipulates the exit of the expatriate worker after reaching the age of 60 years and accordingly, his residence permit would not be renewed.
Job change support
Expatriates who encounter problems or technical issues while trying to change over to a new job can contact the technical support section at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs at E-notice@ADLSA.gov.qa or Phone: 40288888.
