Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi and Brigadier Mohamed Ahmed Al Ateeq, Director of the General Directorate of Passports at the Ministry of Interior at a joint press conference to ex
DOHA: The government has stepped up efforts to implement new amendments in the law regulating entry, exit and residency of the expatriates. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) announced yesterday to set up joint panels to prepare mechanisms to simplify the procedures for implementing the new law.
“The law about ending exit permit will come into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette,” said Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi at a joint press conference organised by MoI and MADLSA, yesterday.
He pointed out that during the period leading up to its implementation, the two ministries in coordination with Qatar Chamber will conduct awareness workshops for employers to clarify about required procedures and mechanisms to implement this amendment.
The press conference was aimed at explaining the Law No. 13 of 2018 which has amended some provisions of Law No. (21) for the year 2015 regulating entry, exit and residency of expatriates.
“The amended law ensures the right of the expatriate workers that come under the provisions of the Labour Law to leave the country temporarily or on final exit, without requiring the consent of the employer,” said the Minister, adding that employer can specify five percent of his employees who need prior approval before leaving the country due to the nature of work of those employees.
He said that at the same time, an expatriate worker, who is not allowed to exit the country for any reason, can approach the “Expatriate Exit Grievances Committee”.
The committee shall decide on his grievances within three working days, the Minister added. Procedures will be announced in consultation with the Ministry of Interior, so that employers may submit a list of employees who need prior-approval before leaving the country.
Brigadier Mohamed Ahmed Al Ateeq, Director of the General Directorate of Passports at the Ministry of Interior, said the current situation requires more awareness campaigns in partnership with the Qatar Chamber to clarify the law.
“List of the five percent employees specified by the employer those require prior approval will be placed in the system of the Ministry of Interior,” he added
Al Nuaimi said that new law is part of a slew of legislations issued by Qatar to protect the rights of workers. The new law complements the previous legislations issued to protect workers’ rights and provide them a safe work environment, he added.
“These measures started with Wage Protection System (WPS) through which all employees get their salaries through the banks,” he said
“The Department of Labour Relations at the MADLSA receives workers complaints. The Department review the complaints within one week of submitting it and coordinates with the employer to reach an amicable solution,” the Minister noted.
He said that in the absence of such a solution, the complaint will be referred to the “Labour Disputes Settlement Committee”, he said, pointing out that these committees are headed by judges of the Supreme Judicial Council along with expert members from the Ministry. He said that the complaints are reviewed and settled within a maximum period of three weeks.
“The advantages of these committees are that they decide on cases quickly so that the worker does not remain in a permanent dispute with the employer,” he added.
The Minister also pointed out about the draft law on the ‘Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund’ which was approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday. He said that the process of completing the procedures for issuing the law is being carried out to get endorsed by H H the Amir.
The Minister said that one of the benefits of the Fund is that if the Labour Disputes Settlement Committee issues its decision on the eligibility of a worker in his complaint filed against the company or the employer, and the latter is unable to meet the worker’s due to his financial incapacity or the bankruptcy of the company, the Fund shall pay the worker’s dues and secure his departure from the country. The Fund then will collect what it has paid from the employer.
He stressed that the MADLSA strives for the benefit of both the worker and the employer. As the worker is entitled to file a complaint against the employer, the employer is also entitled to file a complaint through the Labour Relations Department in the event that he finds a breach of employment contract.
