Working in Qatar is a surprisingly smooth transition for most expats relocating from the Western world. Foreigners make up nearly 85 percent of the emirate’s population, and English has even usurped Arabic as the language of employment; thus, office environments may feel eerily familiar despite their distance from home.

Your colleagues and the clients you come into contact with on a daily basis are likely to be from abroad, which makes for an eclectic and interesting corporate culture. That said, it’s important to acknowledge the fact that the work culture, communication style and standard practices that you’ve learned from your home country may clash with that of others. Be patient and don’t discount the effect that these cultural differences can have on office life.

Furthermore, the Arabic work culture is largely different to that of the West. Take some time to educate yourself about the ins and outs of doing business in Qatar, and beyond all else – don’t expect too much to happen too quickly.

Job market in Qatar

Whereas in the past, most multinationals and global corporations luring expats to the peninsula were concentrated in the petrochemical sector, an ambitious and liberal Qatar monarch has stressed economic diversification, and taken steps to attract companies without natural gas or oil affiliations.

Qatar’s construction and real estate sector continues to grow, and with the 2022 World Cup set to grace the desert land, large spending has been invested in improving infrastructure and expanding the leisure and tourism sectors. This widespread development only means that the already-large expat community will continue to increase over the years, and that the expat job market will remain buoyant.

Reports have even surfaced that Qataris are becoming frustrated with foreign appointments to many of the top jobs in critical industries like finance, media and higher education.

Qatar is not a complete walk in the park for the eager expat, however. Though salary packages are attractive and the tax-free lifestyle is tempting, professionals in the emirate work notoriously long hours and apply themselves accordingly to earn their riyals.  

Some companies even enforce a one-and-a-half day weekend, instead of the regular two.  

Finding a job in Qatar

Most expats moving to Qatar do not need to search for a job, as they have transferred overseas having already been employed elsewhere within the sponsoring company, or arrive with their position squared away. The difficulty in attaining a working visa in Qatar without a host sponsor is also a factor in limiting foreign unemployment.

That being said, with the right qualifications and experience in the construction, oil and gas industries, foreign hopefuls shouldn’t have a hard time landing a solid position.

It follows that local recruitment agencies are scarce, and that the best job-hunting tactic is to present your CV personally, or network appropriately. Job vacancy listings can be found in the daily Gulf Times and Peninsula newspapers; otherwise, international recruitment agencies are a good option.

Changing jobs in Qatar

One of the unfortunate downsides to working in Qatar is the fact that expats have little flexibility when it comes to changing jobs. Contracts in Qatar tend to be open-ended with clauses written in banning employees from beginning a new job without first leaving the country for six months.

Employers feel like they’re warranted to enforce such strict rules since they invest so much time and money in convincing foreigners to relocate to Doha in the first place.

That said, it’s possible to work around these stipulations if you have the full support of your employer, but still, it may be necessary to exit the emirate while you apply for new sponsorship; another bit of red tape that comes with job hopping in Qatar.

Expats wishing to move jobs will need a “No-Objection Letter” from their current employer, and will need to make sure their new employer is willing to sponsor them. It’s illegal to be in Qatar without a formal sponsor.

Working hours in Qatar

The standard work week in Qatar runs from Sunday to Thursday, but work hours will vary depending on the employing organisation. Banks, schools and government agencies tend to begin and end the day early, 7.30am to 3.30pm. Alternatively, shops and trading companies may opt for a split, 8am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm, and corporates and small-business owners may enforce a more standardised work day, 8.30am to 5.30pm.  

Regardless, hours are not usually negotiable; and those in senior positions should expect to work some overtime and weekends.