Arabic-language reference guide to work visas, the residence permit, changing employer and exit in Qatar after the Law 18/2020 reforms. General legal information, not legal advice — verify with Qatari counsel (the post-cancellation grace period was recently reduced and its permanence is unconfirmed).
Since Law 18/2020, Qatar abolished the No-Objection Certificate, so private-sector workers can change employer after serving notice (1 month in the first two years, 2 months after), and exit permits were removed for most workers. The employer still sponsors the residence permit and cancels it when the job ends; the grace period to transfer or leave was reportedly cut from 30 to 14 days (June 2026). Withholding a passport is illegal.
