Nationalization Law Forthcoming, Employee Reporting Requirements Proposed

Qatar has approved a draft law on the nationalization of jobs in the private sector which aims to increase employment of Qatari nationals, in particular through introducing obligations which require employers to determine if there are any eligible local candidates available (the requirements are in the nature of labor market testing obligations used in other countries). Under the proposed law, certain private sector employers will need to prioritize eligible Qatari nationals, or children of Qatari women who are married to foreign nationals (these children are not considered Qatari citizens), over foreign applicants. To meet this requirement, affected employers will need to publish job vacancies through an online jobs portal (including the recently launched 'Ouqoul' platform) within one month of the vacancy opening. Additionally, affected employers will need to inform the Ministry of Labor about hiring a candidate (whether a foreign national or Qatari national) within