Medical Centres at Home Countries
GETTING YOUR VISA CLEARED BACK HOME
Six months ago
Employer: "It is the already the 10th. How can I get the project up and running in two weeks if I can't get the people I need? The formalities are taking its time, what do I do?"
Now
Employer: Hello Mr. Shetty. So I will see you this Sunday?
Employee: Yes, Sir. I will be in Qatar on Saturday.
Employee: Is you paper work cleared? Including medical?
Employee: Yes, Sir. It is.
Employer: Good. See you then.
With the introduction of an initiative that allows prospective employees from other countries to complete their residency permit procedures in their home countries, employers in Qatar are heaving a sigh of relief. This welcome move will allow job seekers to get their work contracts signed and the mandatory medical procedures taken care of in their own countries.
Simplifying entry into Qatar for expatriates
The change in law, made by the visa support services department, Ministry of Interior, in association with the Ministry of Administration Development, Labour and Social Affairs is an attempt in the right direction for both prospective employee and employer. Instead of wasting time once the employee lands in Qatar to clear the paperwork, now they will have the documents in hand before boarding the flight to Qatar. This is a particularly important update for foreign contract workers who earlier struggled to complete their medical procedures in Qatar. The Ministry of Interior has joined hands with a Singapore based company, Biomet to put this clause into action. Qatar will start medical check-up centres in eight countries, to begin with.
The project will be initially implemented in countries that attribute to about 80 per cent of the expat workers in Qatar. India, along with Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Tunisia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines are first in the list.
The process for residency permit will include the recording of the employee's biometric data and fingerprints along with their medical reports.
What the new process will entail
As per the new rule, once the procedure is completed in the home country it will be revisited in Qatar where the verification of the documents will take place on arrival at the Hamad International Airport. The medical certificates and the work contracts will be signed in the home country and completed by the visa service centres set up by Qatar in those countries.
The centres will be determined by Qatar and will require the respective hospitals to exercise complete adherence to the prescribed guidelines. While the process has been simplified, it still mandates awareness and compliance. The designated authorities will take legal action against agencies and centres that violate these directions or don’t comply with it in entirety.
What does this mean for expatriates
Contract workers from India, Sri Lanka and other countries earlier had to wait until they reached Qatar to complete their medical checks. This will change going forward. There have been instances of rejection of workers on their arrival to Qatar as they were deemed medically unfit. As per reports, the rejection statistics stand at 3 per cent of the total number of workers. Beyond getting rid of this inconvenience, the approach will also save unnecessary loss of funds on the part of both the employee and employer.
What it means for the system
As per officials in Qatar, the new system will not only make the visa process easier and protect the rights of both parties but also bring a certain level of cohesiveness to the existing structure. The process will help expedite and simplify the recruitment process by making all the necessary contract documents centrally accessible and ensure complete compliance at both ends. This means an employer can start work with their respective employers on arrival instead of being subjected to ambiguity and uncertainty.
To ensure that business entities and expat workers are fully compliant with these rules, BBMS has extended its services to businesses entities and individuals that seek business and work opportunities in Qatar.
For more details on the changing regulatory landscape of Qatar and its impact on businesses and individuals alike, reach out to us at info@bbms.qa or call us on +974 401-20-333.
