Firms that fail in Qatarisation to face fine

Doha: A fine of 100,000 riyals will be imposed on companies that fail to implement the Qatarisation plan, according to a draft law which is in the final stages of approval.

Committees and teams will be appointed to investigate, detect and report any violations, Qatar's Arabic daily Al Rayah reported.

The investigative teams will check the employees' status and records and the status of employment criteria followed by companies. They will later implement plans designed to support the Qatarisation drive.

The Qatarisation plan with specific activities to support manpower requirements to meet the target of companies came into effect in June 2000.

The new law will help Qataris secure key jobs in governmental and private companies, especially in medicine, accounting, law and business administration fields where they are most needed, the newspaper said. It will also increase Qatarisation in the private sector by 20 per cent, the daily added.

- The writer is a freelancer based in Qatar