Originally Posted by Laker
From what i'm reading on here you are actually not free to pack up and leave whenever you want. It sounds like you can only leave if Qatar decides to let you leave. Is that not how the system works?
This web-forum and others like it only serve one purpose...obtain personal experiences from others. Aside from stories you have read, keep in mind, its possible there may be more to that story then what is being said. As to your question, the link below may serve as a useful tool to help understand how things work here.
Qatar Labor Law | Qatar Labor Law
Article (49)
If the service contract is of an indefinite duration any of the two parties thereto may terminate it without giving the reasons for the termination. In this case the party intending to terminate the contract shall notify the other party in writing as follows:
- In respect of the workers who receive their wages annually or monthly, the notification shall be given not less than one month prior to the date of the termination. If the period of service is five years or less. If the period of service is more than five years, the notification period shall be at least two months prior to the date of termination.
- In all other cases the notification shall be given in accordance with the following periods :
A) If the period of service is less than one year the notification period shall be at least one week.
B) If the period of service is more than one year and less than five years
C) the notification period shall be at least two weeks.
D) If the service period is more than five years the notification period shall
E) be at least one month.
If the contract is terminated without observing these periods, the party terminating the contract shall be obligated to compensate the other party for an amount equivalent to the wage for the notice period or the remaining part thereof.
Article (57) Upon termination of the service of the worker the employer shall at his cost return him to the place from where he has recruited him at the commencement of the engagement or to any place agreed upon between the parties.
The employer shall complete the proceedings of returning the non*Qatari worker within a period not exceeding two weeks from the expiry date of the contract. If the worker joins another employer before his departure from the State the obligation to return him to his country or other place shifts to the latter employer.
The employer shall bear the costs of preparing the corpse of the deceased worker and the conveyance thereof to his country or place of residence upon the demand of his heirs.