Work Permits for Qatar
A work permit for Qatar is formally known as a “work entry visa”. There are a number of different types of work entry visa, but no matter the category of visa, it is exchanged for an employment-based residence permit once expats arrive in Qatar.It’s impossible to get a work entry visa for Qatar without an employment contract and a local employer sponsor. Though, once expats square away a job and the accompanying paperwork, the burden of organising the visa application and of following up on its progress falls to the employing sponsor.
Expats must merely provide the requested, notarised documentation, and must begin to organise the additional logistics that come with relocation. Paperwork varies depending on the position you’ll be filling, but your employer will advise what they specifically require.
Once the work entry visa has been approved, expats can depart for Qatar with confirming documents and collect the actual visa at the Qatar airport.
After this, the residence permit application process begins immediately. Again, this bit of bureaucracy is managed by the employing sponsor. Expats must merely bring the requested paperwork overseas with them, and must go for a medical check-up and fingerprinting upon arrival.
To successfully receive the residence permit, expats cannot leave the country during the time in which their work entry visa is being converted. The duration of the processing period is roughly six weeks, but can vary.
The holy month of Ramadan is a notoriously bad time to apply for your work entry visa or permit, as most government offices adhere to tempered working hours.
*Visa and work permit regulations are subject to change at short notice and expats should contact their respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.
