DOHA: The end of exit permit for migrant workers covered by the Labour Law will come into force from tomorrow, according to the Law No. 13 of 2018, that amended certain provisions of the Law No. 21 of 2015 regulating the 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 without exit permit while the new law is not applicable on employees of government entities, semi-governmental organisations and also on domestic help.
After amendments in the said law, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) had asked all companies and employers to prepare lists of the names of employees who required prior approval of exit permit and to send them electronically to the Ministry through a special platform set up by the MADLSA, the Ministry of Interior said on its official Facebook account yesterday.
The officials of MADLSA had announced earlier that companies could start uploading the lists of such employees on the website of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs which according to the Ministry would be forwarded to the relevant ministry - the Ministry of Interior.
Expressing joy over the recent post of the Ministry of Interior on its Facebook page, many social media users termed the move great, but at the same time, they wondered whether their names would be included in the list of 95 percent workers who could travel outside country without prior exit permit or not.
“How do we know that we are among those who do not need an exit permit? Is it (to be announced or told) by our companies or the Ministry?", commented Ahmed Ashraf.
Another one commented: “A step that demonstrates Qatar’s determination to move ahead with the real and serious development which matches the status of a developed country.”
When the new law was issued by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the first week of September this year, it was widely praised by labour and other rights organisations.
The officials of MADLSA had earlier affirmed that an employer enjoyed the complete right of determining five percent of their employees who would need exit permit, and the employer did not need any consent or approval by the employees while making lists of those five percent employees who would require exit permit for leaving the country.
To raise awareness, the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with Qatar Chamber also conducted a series of awareness workshops.
