(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Advisory Council yesterday unanimously approved the draft law regulating the entry, exit and residence of expatriate workers, with proposals for amendments in some key provisions related to sponsorship change and exit permit.
The proposals will be forwarded to State Cabinet.
The Council's Internal and External Committee which was assigned to study the draft law held a series of discussions last week in the presence of senior government officials including the Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi.
It emerged during discussions with the Prime Minister that a special committee will be set up at the Ministry of Interior to decide on disputes related to exit permits.
The procedures for sponsorship change would remain as it is and a mutual agreement between the employer and the employee would be required for changing jobs, Al Sharq reported.
The Advisory Council sought amendments mainly two articles of the draft law- 7 and 21.
Article 7 says that expatriate workers should inform the authorities concerned (Ministry of Interior) three days before leaving the country. As per the amendment proposed by the Council, the worker should first inform his employer and if the employer refused to grant exit permit, he can approach the grievance committee to be set up at the Ministry of Interior. The committee can issue exit permit to the worker in case of emergency and based on the genuineness of his case.
Article 21 says that the worker can change job after completing the contract period or after five years, if he has an open contract.
The Council recommended that the worker be released only after serving the employer double the contract period or after 10 years in the case of open contracts.
A worker should not be allowed to change jobs more than twice, after serving his first employer.
The Council's Internal and External Affairs committee held four meetings and listened to views of the Ministry of Interior in a meeting attended by the Prime Minister, Major Gen Dr Abdullah Al Mal, legal consultant the Ministry of Interior, Brig Salim Saqr Al Meraikhi, director of legal affairs at the ministry, Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of Government Communications Office. The committee also held a meeting with Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, chairman of Qatar Chamber.
The Prime Minister told the meeting that this was one of the important laws and it is reflected in the controversy associated with amendments in the law. One of the justifications for amending the law is that the state has been under huge pressure from international forums and there has been a politicized campaign against Qatar in this regard.
Unfortunately there are irresponsible actions and abuse by some employers against their workers related to treatment, accommodation, living conditions and exit permit.
The amendment in the existing law will cause confusion in transfer of sponsorship, work contracts and exit permits. Therefore the Ministry of Interior will establish a permanent committee will consider in three days the justification of the employee and the reason why his employer denied him exit permit.
If the law is approved, sponsorship transfer will be done through the same procedure that is in use now. And if there is an agreement between the two parties- the employer and employee- sponsorship will be transferred accordingly.
Expatriate workers will be allowed to leave the country without approval from his employer with the condition of having a guarantor who can take responsibility for any financial commitment. It will be mandatory to transfer sponsorship of male children aged above 25 or he will have to leave the country, the ministry representatives clarified. Regarding female children, it will be according to the provision of Islamic Shariah.
It is up to the judge to decide on fines on employers who insist to keep the passports of the employees. The draft law has proposed a fine not exceeding QR50,000.
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