The Immigration Process and Documents Necessary for Legal Employment
For New Employees in Sponsored Positions
As soon as you return your signed offer letter, you will be introduced to GU-Q’s Immigration and Government Relations Manager. He will ask you to upload to a secure online Box color copies of your passport and the passports of any dependents who will be living with you in Doha. If applicable, he will also ask you to upload a copy of your marriage certificate.
In order to apply for your work visa, he will need from you the following:
- an attested police clearance from your country of origin;
- an attested copy of all your education degrees;
- an attested copy of transcriptions documenting the courses taken towards all your education degrees;
- a letter from the university confirming: the qualification and certificate’s authenticity; the mode and type of study (e.g. full-time, part-time, in-person). In case part of the course was taken online, indicate the number of hours or percentage; the place of study and place where the examinations were held; the awarded title of the certificate issued (Degree BSc or BA, Masters MA, or Doctorate PhD); the duration of the course studied (start date and end date).
* Please note, as of September 21, 2016, Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education recognizes up to 30% of an online degree program.
The steps for attestation may vary slightly, depending upon your country of origin. The Immigration and Government Relations Manager will advise employees on a case-by-case basis.
If you need assistance getting your documents attested, GU-Q has relationships with agencies specializing in this field. Ask for assistance when you consult with the Immigration and Government Relations Manager. If you work with a GU-Q approved agency, there is no out-of-pocket cost for the agency’s services.
After the attested documents have been received by the Immigration and Government Relations Manager, it is typically no more than two weeks before the work visa is generated. Receipt of the work visa is mandatory before a new employee can begin work at GU-Q. It is illegal to work in Qatar on a tourist visa.
Once the new employee has entered Qatar, work begins on securing their Resident Permit or RP. After an employee receives their RP, they can access other services and licenses, such as obtaining a Qatar driver’s license, E-Gate, and bank loans.
To apply for the RP, the employee must successfully complete a medical exam and be fingerprinted. They must not leave the country while the RP process is underway. This typically takes four to six weeks. Otherwise, the process must begin again from scratch.
For New Employees in Non-Sponsored Positions
The steps necessary in order for a new employee to begin work in a non-sponsored position are much the same as that for a new employee in a sponsored role.
One important difference is that, in additional to the documents listed above, the new employee must provide a No Objection letter written by the family member who is sponsoring them to reside in Qatar. This would typically come from a husband or parent. The letter states that the sponsor approves that this family member is employed.
The attested paperwork must be turned in to the Immigration and Government Relations Manager. However, a work permit will not be generated. The non-sponsored employee will already have an RP, as a result of their family sponsorship.