New rule implemented for block visa amendments

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Qatar’s Ministry of Labor has imposed a new rule for employers who want to amend an existing block visa.

What does the change mean? If the amendment application is rejected, companies must wait 20 days from the date of rejection before they may resubmit the amendment application.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate.
• Visas/permits affected: Block visas.
• Who is affected: Companies submitting a block visa amendment application.
• Impact on processing times: Amendment applications that are rejected will be delayed.
• Business impact: Companies seeking to amend block visas should be aware that if the application is rejected, they will have to observe the waiting period before resubmitting it.

Background: Companies seeking to hire foreign workers must first obtain approval of a block visa issued by the Ministry of Labor, which has sole discretion over block visa decisions. Employers may request to amend an approved block visa by filing an amendment application with the ministry. The ministry did not provide a reason for the new rule.

BAL Analysis: Companies seeking to amend a block visa should factor in additional time should the application be rejected and require resubmission. Companies should also note that the rule is a recent change and is subject to further change without notice.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Qatar. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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