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Doha: Expatriate workers intending to leave the country on vacation or for good are required to inform their employers before departure, based on the terms of their job contract, according to an amendment in the Law No 21 of 2015 regulating the entry, exit, and residency of expatriates, issued yesterday.
Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday issued Law No. 1 of 2017 amending some provisions of the Law No. 21 of 2015 . The new law contains two articles. Article 1 has amended and replaced Article 7 of Law No. 21 of 2015 as follows:
Expatriate worker (who came on work visa) has the right to leave the country on vacation or in case of an emergency or for any other reason after informing the employer in accordance with the job contract.
An expatriate worker can leave for good before end of the contract period, after informing the employer and in accordance with the job contract.
In case the employer or other sections concerned opposed his exit in the above mentioned two clauses, then the worker can approach the grievances committee to be set up through a ministerial decision. The committee will decide on the dispute in three working days.
Article 7 in Law No. 21 of 2015 did not stipulate informing the employer before departure. It stated that expatriate worker must inform the authorities concerned about every exit from the country at least three working days before departure.
The article also mentioned that in exceptional cases, expatriate workers are allowed to leave the country immediately after the employer inform the authorities concerned about his approval for leave.
Article 2 of the new law says that all bodies concerned must implement the new law, effective from the second day of its enforcement.
The Law is effective on the day following the date of its publication in the official gazette.
