Comprising representatives of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and the ministries of Labour and Interior, the Exit Permit Grievances Committee has been set up in accordance with Law No 21 of 2015 that will come into force tomorrow. Law No 21 of 2015 is the new law that will govern the entry, exit, and residency of expats in the country. It abolishes the existing Kafala system, replacing it with a modernised, contract-based employment system.
While announcing the constitution of the committee, the Ministry of Interior (MoI)'s Legal Affairs Department head Brigadier Salim Saqar al-Muraikhi said the committee would be able to reach a decision on granting travel permits to expatriates within three days after a request is submitted.
Brigadier al-Muraikhi is the chairman of the committee.
"If there is any grievance regarding the committee's decision on granting the travel permit to an applicant, the affected person can lodge a complaint with the Interior minister," he said.
The employer is duty-bound to sanction any leave due to the employee which is mentioned in the contract executed between them. The employer is also liable to grant leave to his employee in the event of emergencies, said Brigadier al-Murakhi.
"For an exit permit, the employee only needs to submit an application to his employer as is being done now," he said , adding that in case the employer rejects the application , the affected could make a request to the Grievances Committee, which is now located at the old Traffic Department office in Madinat Khalifa .
As of now, the application for exit permits to the committee has to be submitted in writing. The facility is expected to be available online and at the service centres of the Ministry of Interior spread across the country soon.
"Once the committee receives an application , it will verify if the applicant is facing any criminal case or any charges of financial misappropriation. Then the employer will be contacted and he will be asked to explain the reasons for denying the exit permit .
"If there are no serious complaints pending against the applicant, the committee will grant the travel permit," said the official.
In a statement issued earlier, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs (MADLSA) had said the worker would have the opportunity to contest before the committee any evidence that might have been used against him.
"Further, workers will also have the opportunity to appeal for clemency, in cases where they owe debt but need to return home for a medical or family emergency," it said.
Besides Brig al-Muraikhi, MADLSA representative Salih Rashid al-Kuwari, NHRC member Nayeef Misbah al-Shammari, and MoI representative Major Mohamed al-Kubaisi were also present at the briefing.
Brig al-Muraikhi (third left) announces the establishment of the Exit Permit Grievances Committee as Maj al-Kubaisi, al-Kuwari and al-Shammari look on.
The Exit Permit Grievances Committee, that will redress complaints of expatriate workers who are denied permission by their employers to leave the country, has come into being in Qatar.
