Job Discussion Forums

[disregardedknowledge]

I was laid off (not fired) from a teaching position in Qatar. The company's official position was to provide me with a no-objection letter and they also provided job search assistance for me in case I desired to remain in Qatar. In the end, I left Qatar. I have recently learned that my past boss is giving bad references when contacted by prospective employers. So legally I am able to work in Qatar but the reference is hurting me. If I delete the job from my resume, will a prospective employer find out about my past job when they attempt to obtain a work visa? Any advice is appreciated. Feel free to pm me. Also, can anyone tell me how long a ban is in Qatar? Is it two years? Could this still cause me problems after the ban period elapses? thanks again for any replies.

[boundforsaudi]

Better to be fired outright and denied a reference than to be stabbed in the back. You did good, though. How did you figure it out? You seem to part company with your employer in good standing, but you never know, huh? Sometimes you think you've landed a job and all of a sudden you never hear back and you wonder what's going on. You could pose as an employer and request references on yourself, just to see. Is that what you did? Hmmm. Pain in the ass to fake some official email address.

[millie18]

The ban is usually 2 years if you don't have an NOC.

As for the bad reference, is there someone with your previous employer who can provide a decent reference for you - that way you can give them the "good guy's" contact info up front and bypass the "bad guy" entirely without him knowing.

[Asda]

[lollaerd]

[lollaerd]

Little change in Qatar�s sponsorship law


THE new and much-awaited sponsorship law, issued on Thursday, reveals little or no change to the current regulations regarding expatriates working in Qatar.
According to the new law, the freedom of movement of non-Qataris would still be restricted through the mandatory exit permits.
However, the law makes it illegal for sponsors and employers to retain employees� passports and travel documents once their residence permits have been issued.
According to Article 4, any expatriate once dismissed from his job or quit on his own will not be allowed to re-enter the country before the elapse of two years from the date of his departure.
However, this condition can be waived by the Minister of Interior, or whoever represents him. Also the department (to be designated later) in charge of enforcing the law may exempt some cases from this period based on a written permission from the expatriates� previous sponsor, according to Article 4.
The new law gives the Minister or whoever represents him the power to transfer sponsorship temporarily if there is a legal dispute between the sponsor and the expatriate worker.
The Minister or whoever represents him may transfer sponsorship of workers who are not covered by Qatar�s labour law (domestic helpers) from one employer to another if arbitrariness is proved on the part of the employer or if the general interest requires that.
The Minister can also approve the sponsorship transfer for workers, covered by the labour law, if the employer is found to be uncompromising, as mentioned in Article 12.
Amongst the few changes made in the new law is that Qatari women married to foreigners will be able to sponsor their husbands and children.
Also, expatriate women who are in the country on a work visa can sponsor their husbands, Article 21 says.

According to Article 14, an expatriate worker whose services are terminated by an employer, for causing gross financial loss to his employer or assuming false identity or nationality or providing false certificate as mentioned in Article 61 of the labour laws, will not be allowed to return to the country before the elapse of four years of the date of his departure.
The Minister has the power to order deportation of any expatriate deemed a threat to the national security or to public order or public health/national economy.
The Minister is also allowed, if needed, to suspend the deportation of an expatriate for 30 days extendable for one similar period.
Article 40 states that any expatriate who has been deported for a legal or administrative reason cannot return to the country without a decision from the Minister.

Those recruited by a company are not allowed to work for any other establishment, while the sponsor is not allowed to employ workers not under his/her sponsorship.

However, authorities can make exceptions by giving authorisation to sponsors for up to six months which is renewable.

The Minister will issue visas and residence permit (RP) for investors in huge projects, real estate owners, and other categories defined by the Council of Ministers.
The duration of this RP is five years, extendable for similar periods, and the holders can leave the country without getting exit permit.
Those coming under this category are allowed to get RP without provision for taking up jobs, for their spouses, sons and parents.
The law is not applicable for heads of foreign states, their family members and companions, heads of diplomatic missions, and attach� members and official delegations, and captains of ships.

Expatriates accused of violation of any law cannot leave the country before paying the fine or before a final acquittal decision from a court of law.

But the individual concerned can be allowed to leave if he/she provides someone who is ready to provide guarantee to pay the fine.
The new Law No 4 of 2009 regulating the entry, exit, residence and sponsorship of foreigners was ratified by the HH Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
The law will be enforced with immediate effect

[stickleback]

At least one of the people I worked with got an undeserved bad reference and lost a job op. Somebody should look in the mirror and reflect.

[wilberforce]

I hear you man. Nothing worse than a mean spirited boss who is just out to wreck your life. One of the Gulag teachers had a really bad reference from a previous employer but managed to get hired. He found out that the bad reference was based on spite. You'd think that someone who wants to get rid of someone for personal reasons (i.e. a grudge, spite, or fire to hire policies) might at least have the decency to give a NOC and/or a decent reference. Some people have no conscience. At least IMTIAZ/QP gave one to all the people who asked for a NOC. They had the basic decency to do that. I've heard some other places in Qatar and in the region don't understand the word decency. Although they turfed me, they still gave me a good reference which helped me get my present job, so I bear no resentment.

[lollaerd]

Kuwait, Bahrain and now the UAE!! No more no objection documents. It's time Qatar did the same thing.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/employment/new-work-permit-rules-in-uae-from-2011-will-ease-job-switch-1.732116