Qatar Employment and Career News
Qatarization drive takes private firms by surprise
The directive issued by Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to Private companies, that 20 percent of their employees should be nationals, seemed quite surprising for the private firms.
A member of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Ahmed Nasser Al Rayes, said - It is too early in the day to force the private sector to provide employment to nationals. The move comes at a time, when we are already struggling to combat inflation and associated problems.
Another prominent businessman, who is also the Vice-Chairman of QCCI, Abdul Aziz Al Emadi, said “The government should first ensure if all its departments and ministries, by itself, have fully nationalized jobs, before asking private firms to follow suit.”
He said, most departments and ministries in the state, still, have a majority of foreign workers. One such sector is the public health sector. Also, the female secretaries working in government hospitals are mostly expatriates. Let the government replace them with locals first, and similarly all the government ministries and departments should be replaced by locals and only then the government should point out at the private firms.
Yet, another businessman quoted “we are ready to offer employment to fellow Qataris, as it would save us the trouble of providing housing and air tickets. But, are there enough people to even fill up the 20 percent quota of jobs in private sector?”
Al Rayes mentioned that the huge shortage of local manpower, particularly, in certain sectors that is inevitable for private sectors. He added that, “we are ready to abide by the instructions of the Ministry, provided, they permit us to stick to our terms and conditions of employment.”
Al Emadi said, another major problem is that private companies work in two shifts a day, while, nationals are not used to double-shifts. It is difficult for nationals to work hard, as they have an easy life and sheltered upbringing.
Posted on 6/2/2008
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