Qatar is an expanding country in terms of its industries and economy. Qatar has been bringing in a professional and trained workforce to ensure they have the right talent to set up and run the operation. If you wish to build a life and a career in Qatar, you will need to obtain a Qatar work visa.
In this article, we will look at the Qatar work visa, how to obtain it, the needed documents, and who is qualified to get it, and we will also answer some common questions.
Table of Contents
Qatar Work Visa Eligibility
Qatar Work Visa FREE Cheat Sheet
What are the Required Documents for a Qatar Work Visa?
Work visa
Work Permit
Residence Permit
How Can I Apply for Qatar Work Visa?
Step 1. Finding a Job
Step 2. Registration of Business with the Immigration Department
Step 3. Getting the approval of the Ministry of Labor
Step 4. Getting an Employment or Work Visa
Step 5. Getting a Work Permit
Step 6. Getting a Residence Permit
Step 6. Getting an Exit Visa
Qatar Work Permit Benefits
How Much is a Qatar Work Visa?
How Long is a Qatar Work Visa Valid?
How Long is a Qatar Work Visa Application Process?
The Bottom Line …
FAQs
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 for 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 Qatari officials.
Qatar Work Visa FREE Cheat Sheet
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What are the Required Documents for a Qatar Work Visa?
Work visa
The requirements are:
A filled-out application form in Arabic
A copy of the company’s commercial registration
The company’s immigration card
A photocopy of a valid employment contract signed by the supporting firm and the employee
A photocopy of the employee’s passport
Four passport photographs
Work Permit
The 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
Employee’s educational background and certificates
The employer’s immigration card
The employee’s work visa
Biometrics, such as employer’s fingerprints
A copy of the company’s commercial registration
Four passport photographs
Residence Permit
The employee will need to submit these documents in order to obtain a residence permit:
A filled-out application form for a residence permit in Arabic and English
A valid passport
Employee’s passport photos (must have two images)
The Qatari work 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
If the employer is an individual, the sponsor’s passport is required.
If you want to know how to immigrate to Qatar as an HR manager, read our article.
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 diminutions: 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 have been taken in the last 6 months.
The photo background must be white.
Applicant must have neutral facial expressions (No smiling or frowning).
The applicant’s glasses must not be in the photo.
Only headgear for religious reasons is allowed.
The clothing shouldn’t match the background.
The 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.
The applicant’s ears must be visible.
The 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.
If you want to immigrate to Qatar as a doctor or nurse, read our article.
How Can I Apply for Qatar Work Visa?
The regulations controlling worker employment in Qatar are controlled by Labour Law No.14 of 2004, which is handled by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. A permanent resident status visa and a work permit are necessary for anybody seeking to work in Qatar. The company serves as the employee’s local sponsor and arranges all required appointments to get the visa and permission.
Because of the old kafala sponsorship system, which connects the employee to the employer, the hiring procedure in Qatar is significantly more complicated than in other nations. Employers have far more authority over employees in employment affairs, where employees must get an exit visa and the employer’s authorization before leaving the country. Furthermore, Qatarization prioritizes hiring Qatari personnel, whereas non-Qatari workers may be hired only if it is allowed by the Labor Department, work licenses are provided, and there is a need for such things. Before employing staff in Qatar, these things must be carefully considered.
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.
If you want to immigrate to Qatar as a lawyer, read our article.
Here is a list of different steps for acquiring a Qatar work residence permit:
Step 1. Finding 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.
Step 2. Registration of Business with the Immigration Department
To apply for a work visa, first, the employer must register the business with the Immigration Department of the General Directorate of Borders, Passports, and Expatriate Affairs at the MOI or Ministry of Interior. When a business entity or employer obtains an immigration card, they become a worker’s sponsor. Employers must also get a Representative Card for a designated employee to act on the company’s behalf while interacting with the Immigration Department and the Ministry of Labour. The following are the needed employer documents:
Application forms completed in Arabic, stamped and signed for Immigration Cards/Representative Cards
Passport copies of all business owners and representatives
A copy of the company’s commercial registration
Trade License Copies
Immigration document (For Representative Cards)
2 passport-sized color photos of the representative
Step 3. Getting the approval of the Ministry of Labor
Before recruiting, the company must apply to the Ministry of Labour for approval of the number of work permits that will be provided to foreign workers for the next year. This is accomplished by submitting a block visa application to the Labour Department.
The employer must provide the essential documents and information below to the Ministry of Labor.
A filled-out application form in Arabic
The number of total foreigners that will be hired
Each employee’s position
The employees’ nationalities
Thanks to Qatarization rules, the Ministry will consider variables such as the existence of jobless Qatari citizens who may fill the post and whether the position may only be filled by a foreign national when authorizing the company’s labor sponsorship.
Read our article about the ways of immigration to Qatar as IT managers.
Step 4. Getting an Employment or Work Visa
The employer must secure a work visa for each person employed before they enter Qatar. The employee may enter Qatar on a visit visa and then apply for an employment visa. However, work can begin once the work visa is obtained. The employer will serve as each employee’s sponsor.
After obtaining the work visa, a copy should be supplied to the employee, and the original should be deposited at the employee’s arrival airport before the employee arrives in Qatar. Employment visas typically have a validity period of one to five years. Therefore, the timeframe to get this visa is 2 to 4 weeks.
Step 5. Getting a Work Permit
Upon arrival in Qatar, employees have 7 working days to get a work permit. This is usually only possible when an employment agreement has been reached. Before applying for a work permit, a medical certificate verifying the employee’s health must be acquired. The employee must undergo a medical examination at a government-approved facility and a photocopy of their passport, work visa, and four passport-sized photos, and a fee is required. Once the medical certificate is granted, an application for a work and residence permit for one, two, or three years can be made. The timeframe to get this permit is 2 to 4 weeks.
Step 6. Getting a Residence Permit
Once the work visa and the work permit have been granted and copies have been delivered to the employee, they may go to Qatar and pick up the visa and relevant paperwork at the airport. A medical examination and fingerprint scanning are also required. Now, employees can apply for resident permits, transforming the work visa into a residency permit that allows the employee to leave the country. The employer submits the residence permit application, which must be started within 7 days of arrival.
Labour Law No.14 of 2004 requires the Labour Department to approve a dual language English and local Arabic contract. For the application, the employee’s employment paperwork, such as the job contract, must be provided; otherwise, additional necessary documents, such as payroll records and bank statements, must be submitted.
Once the residence permit is approved, the employee may continue to work for the company until their job ends, which must be renewed every few years, based on the circumstances. The time required for this permit is around 6 weeks.
Step 6. Getting an Exit Visa
Foreign nationals working for a Qatari employer must also get exit visas from the Ministry of Interior before departing. Employees’ exit visas are approved by the sponsor/employer. The visa is only valid for seven days and may be multiple-entry.
Qatar Work Permit Benefits
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 USD.
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.
FAQs
How much is the fee for visa processing?
It’s QAR 200 (54 USD) but might be to change.
Does it take long to get the work visa?
No, the processing time is about 2-4 weeks to get the temporary visa.
Is visa on arrival available now?
Yes, it was stopped in 2020, but it is now available for eligible countries.
What is the first step to applying for a work visa?
The first stage is to find a job offer from an employer.
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