The Ultimate Guide to Hiring in Qatar

Thinking of expanding your business in Qatar? Here are some vital points to keep in mind when hiring your future employees.

Ensure Proper Requirements & Permits for International Employees

In order to live and work in the state of Qatar, the candidate will have to secure residence and work permits. The process of securing these permits have become significantly simple and easy thanks to the revised labor law that has become more flexible in ensuring the rights of all working parties. This means that the candidate can even bring your family to live with you in Qatar. If the candidate has a spouse, they can also work in Qatar after the proper registration with the Recruitment Department at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs.

The first thing that the candidate needs to accomplish is to secure your Work Residence Permit (commonly referred to as an RP). For this, the candidate needs to have a company or individual as their official Qatari employer. That’s your role.

Employers will be responsible for handling all of the paperwork required. When an expat enters the country, the employer will secure a temporary visa which will, later on, be converted to your work residency permit. This process can take between two to four weeks or even longer. During this period of converting the visa to permit, he or she may not be able to leave the country.

Once they get the Work Residence Permit, you can access several services, sign a lease or rental accommodation, apply for other permits and licenses, apply for loans, and more. Another big advantage of having this Work Residence Permit is being allowed to sponsor their immediate family to join them in the country.

As the employer, you will renew the work residence permit annually.

Benefits and Rights

To sponsor their immediate family members, they will have to secure an individual Family Residence Visa for each person, including infants. This type of Visa can be purchased for a period of one to five years and it will be stamped in the passport of each family member. Some documents will be necessary, including an authenticated birth certificate and marriage certificates, salary certificates from you (employer), and a no-objection letter.

If their wife is in Qatar using a family sponsorship permit, and if they approve that she may register to work, she can apply for employment without having to secure a separate work permit. This can be done in the labor department.

Familiarising Yourself & Your Staff with Local Culture, Beliefs, and Traditions

Try your best to be culturally aware, at least when it comes to the basics. Qatari culture is rich and diverse, so knowing the foundations of the country can help you. For one, it is deeply rooted in Islam, and its penal code follows the Shariah Law. Knowing about these lets you know which things to avoid, and how disobeying any laws of the land can affect you.

You should also be wary of how you dress and present yourself. In public, you must dress modestly. This is because Qatar is a very conservative nation. In fact, most of the females wear abayas, long black robes, and men wear thobes, long white shirts

Make sure to invest in a pashmina in your closet. It’s a staple in Qatari wardrobe. You can use it to cover up. It is very lightweight and won’t weigh you down even if used for long periods of time. It can be worn like a scarf or shawl.

In addition to clothing, be sure to equip yourself with the rules and acceptable etiquette during Ramadan. It is a month-long obligatory fasting ritual for all able-bodied Muslims during daytime. Even restaurants will be closed at the time. Non-Muslims are not expected to participate in the fast, however, you must not eat in public during the fasting hours. You are also to be discreet and mindful when eating around Muslim colleagues.

There are also expected behaviors during the call to prayer, called Athan. This is heard five times a day, each day. During such time, it is best to be quiet and not play loud music or talk loudly.

When greeting people, you must use your right hand as a sign of respect and civility. Don’t be shocked if you are asked how your health is, as it is a common topic of conversation here. Such greetings can extend into conversation. Do not rush the process, as it can be construed as a sign of disrespect or lack of interest. Follow the person’s greeting and interact accordingly. Traditionally, some do not like shaking hands with people of the opposite sex. However, some don’t mind. Be mindful for social cues during such events.

Be mindful of the traditional “gender divide” expectation, where women are often private people. Although this is not an absolute rule, it is good to assess the situation and remember this sensitive guideline. If you are not sure, it is better to wait for the female Arab to make the first contact.