The "sponsorship" system in Qatar is known as "Kafala."

It is a pre-requisite under the kafala system that a foreign worker is sponsored by either a  Qatari national or a legal company that takes up the responsibility of his legal status and visa requirements.

The maximum number of working hours allowed per week is 48 hours, whereas the working hours are reduced during the holy month of Ramadan to 36 hours. 

Employees are entitled to at least one day of rest per week. Friday is the common holiday for everyone except those with shift duties.

Employees under sponsorship are not allowed to work for any other employer without special permission. However, employees can switch jobs after completion of their contract period. 

It is mandatory for an expatriate worker to get an exit permit from their sponsor/company if they wish to travel to their home country but under the new proposal, exit permit would soon be a thing of the past as it would no longer obligate foreign employees to do so,  except some professions and the Military persons.

Sponsors are not allowed to retain the passport of their employees except for visa/immigration purposes.

The employee can sponsor his family and get a family visa after getting a letter from the employer and must fulfill the salary requirement of a minimum QAR10,000 for the private sector.

Under the new proposal, Qatar's Cabinet has approved a number of draft laws that would give workers of all categories more rights and protection, including the possibility of switching jobs while the contract is still valid.

The Cabinet has approved a draft law on the minimum wages, another to adopt regulations that facilitate the worker's transfer from his current employer to another within the duration of the work contract in a way that protects the rights of both parties, and a third draft law to abolish exit permits for those not covered by the Labour Law, including domestic workers. 

The draft laws will be applicable immediately after the relevant legislative process.

Want to know more about laws in Qatar? Click here. 

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