Entry, Work, Residence And Exit

Qatar's population has risen from around 600,000 in 2000 to in excess of 2.2 million at the end of 2016. It is among one of the most prosperous countries in the world and one of the fastest growing economies in the Middle East.

Law No.21 of 2015, Immigration Law, sets out the regulations under which expatriates may enter, work and reside in and exit from Qatar. The Immigration Law will repeal Law No.(4) of 2009 (Old Immigration Law) and the decisions and resolutions previously issued to implement it. However, until the publication of the executive regulations, the Old Immigration Law will remain in force to the extent that it does not contradict the provisions of the Immigration Law. The Immigration Department of the Ministry of Interior and the Labour Department of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs are the main agencies of administration. The law defines an Expatriate as any individual entering Qatar who is not a Qatari national.

Unless an individual is a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) national, he or she must be employed by either a Qatari national or an entity registered to undertake business in Qatar. This arrangement does not therefore lend itself to short term or casual employment arrangements. It is also important to note that there are laws and regulations in place to encourage the employment of nationals, known as Qatarisation.

We note that penalties can be imposed by the Ministry of Interior in relation to breaches of the Immigration Law. These penalties can be onerous, e.g. up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to QAR 50,000. The penalties may be levied against any or all pertinent parties. It is therefore important for all expatriates and their employers to consider the activities that an expatriate is undertaking in Qatar and to independently confirm that the visa on which the expatriate is undertaking those activities is the correct visa and that the Immigration Law and its associated regulations are being complied with.

Right of entry

There are 3 main ways for an individual to enter Qatar:

On arrival, tourist or visit visas

Nationals of 33 countries can currently enter Qatar on a single entry on- arrival visa issued for a fee at the Hamad International Airport. GCC nationals or holders of certain GCC residence permits can also enter on an on arrival basis. The visas are issued for 30 days and can be extended for a further 30 days at the discretion of the immigration authorities. On the expiry of the initial or extended 30 day period an individual...