Qatar visas still issued to Filipinos despite ban

By Francesca Astorri
  • Wednesday, 13 February 2013 5:28 PM
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Qatar residency visas are still being issued to domestic workers from the Philippines, despite an unofficial ban being imposed at the end of last year, Arabian Business Qatar found.

Around 20 visas were issued to Philippines citizens during January, the Philippines embassy in Doha said. According to the embassy's labour office, there is still a ban on visas being issued, but some agencies have been able to secure them.

The ban was imposed last year following a diplomatic tussle between Qatar and the Philippines. Since 2007, the Philippines has been requesting a minimum wage of US$400 a month for all of its nationals working abroad. In the Gulf, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have both agreed to these terms, but Qatar has so far refused.

Negotiations between Qatar and the Philippines started last year and are said to still be ongoing.

More than 200,000 Filipinos live and work in Qatar, of which 40,000 are domestic workers with an average salary of US$247 per month.

The Qatar Ministry of Interior was not available for comment.

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Posted by: jun Sunday, 17 February 2013 10:02 AM[UAE] - philippines

i was cancelled with my previous employer.I was in the company 1 year & 10 months but they did not give my gratuity & my 1 month salary but according to the law of qatar the employee work more than one year & she/he was cancelled at that time they are obligate to pay the gratuity of the workers.

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Posted by: Qatari Thursday, 14 February 2013 11:44 AM[UAE] - Qatar

"there is still a ban on visas being issued, but some agencies have been able to secure them."

It's called corruption, when some people are above the law and law doesn't imply on them.

Posted by: procan Monday, 18 February 2013 10:03 AM[UAE] - canada

Just asking a question ? Qatari

Posted by: Qatari Thursday, 14 February 2013 4:22 PM[UAE] - Qatar

@procan, I assume you have no other topic to talk about other than this. Please see a psychiatrist.

Posted by: procan Thursday, 14 February 2013 3:29 PM[UAE] - canada

So is the corruption due expats breaking Qatar law or Nationals breaking the law ?

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