Qatar approves law allowing some foreigners permanent residency

[snoop1130]

Qatar approves law allowing some foreigners permanent residency

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Qatar plans to allow some expatriates to obtain permanent residency, state news agency QNA reported, in the first move of its kind among Gulf Arab states that rely heavily on foreign labour.

 

A draft law approved at a cabinet meeting will allow permanent residence to the children of Qatari women married to non-Qataris, as well as expatriates who provide outstanding services to Qatar, the Wednesday evening report said.

 

"According to the provisions of the bill, the minister of interior may grant a permanent residency ID to a non-Qatari if they meet the conditions specified in the law," the cabinet statement carried by QNA said.

 

Gulf Arab countries have a high number of expatriate workers but do not allow naturalisation of foreigners except in rare cases and under strict conditions.

 

Qatar has a population of 2.7 million including some 300,000 citizens and has been reluctant to extend residency rights out of concern for the demographic balance.

 

Holders of the new permanent residency can for the first time access free state education and healthcare and have the right to own property and run some businesses without needing a Qatari partner, QNA said.

 

The world's wealthiest country per capita, Qatar is under international pressure to improve conditions for hundreds of thousands of foreign workers building facilities for the 2022 World Cup. The government says it is implementing labour reforms.

 

Four Arab countries including Saudi Arabia have imposed sanctions on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge it denies.

 

A work-sponsorship system widely enforced in the Gulf and known in Qatar as "kafala" requires foreign workers to get their employer's consent to change jobs or leave the country.

 

QNA said a committee would be established at the interior ministry to review requests of granting permanent residency ID in line with the provisions of the law.

 

(Reporting by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-8-3

[ragpicker]

  Would be great if they would take Syrian refugees.  Them and the other Muslim countries.

[nasanews]

5 hours ago, ragpicker said:

  Would be great if they would take Syrian refugees.  Them and the other Muslim countries.

Would be greater if US, western countries and Russia stop supporting Assad regime who is responsible of all refugees fleeing their destroyed country. 

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, nasanews said:

Would be greater if US, western countries and Russia stop supporting Assad regime who is responsible of all refugees fleeing their destroyed country. 

 

You think the US, its Western Allies support Assad.

 

Ok, that's a new one.

[Baerboxer]

14 hours ago, ragpicker said:

  Would be great if they would take Syrian refugees.  Them and the other Muslim countries.

 

They won't. Nor will any of the GCC countries. They have Palestinians but never gave them any rights. They will consider those married to Qatari women, and those who have provided "outstanding" service.

 

It ain't gonna be many of those who live in labor camps or the huge amount of Filipino clerical type workers.

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply removed.  

[simple1]

19 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

They won't. Nor will any of the GCC countries. They have Palestinians but never gave them any rights. They will consider those married to Qatari women, and those who have provided "outstanding" service.

 

It ain't gonna be many of those who live in labor camps or the huge amount of Filipino clerical type workers.

It's an ongoing debate as to numbers of refugees in GCC and KSA. A number of reports claim misinformation by the international community as the GCC and KSA reporting methods are not in use by UNHCR as a calculus, therefore not universally reported. An article & interview with the Qatari Foreign Minister sheds some background light, I guess with with a pinch of salt, on these matters.

 

http://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2015/09/exclusive-interview-qatari-foreign-minister-syria-and-refugee-crisis

 

 

Edited August 4, 2017 by simple1

[Morch]

6 hours ago, simple1 said:

It's an ongoing debate as to numbers of refugees in GCC and KSA. A number of reports claim misinformation by the international community as the GCC and KSA reporting methods are not in use by UNHCR as a calculus, therefore not universally reported. An article & interview with the Qatari Foreign Minister sheds some background light, I guess with with a pinch of salt, on these matters.

 

http://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2015/09/exclusive-interview-qatari-foreign-minister-syria-and-refugee-crisis

 

 

 

But there's little debate as to the rights and status afforded to them by host countries. Nothing much when it comes to residence, naturalization and the like.

[simple1]

38 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

But there's little debate as to the rights and status afforded to them by host countries. Nothing much when it comes to residence, naturalization and the like.

True.

 

EDIT:

 

Don't know it you're aware there are only 30 countries worldwide that take in refugees via the UN resettlement processes that afford rights to refugees. To put this into perspective UNHCR are forecasting only approx 170k will be resettled during 2017

Edited August 5, 2017 by simple1

[Morch]

4 minutes ago, simple1 said:

True, but doesn't that usually apply to all foreigners in those countries?

 

Yes, and the OP is about possible upcoming changes.