Qatar - Update on the Resident Permit cancellation process

24 February 2025 – Effective immediately, the Resident Permit (RP) cancellation procedure for companies in Mainland Qatar has been revised. Employers must now obtain contract termination approval from the Ministry of Labor (MOL) before initiating the RP cancellation with the Ministry of Interior (MOI).

With the introduction of these new steps, the processing timeline for cancellations has been extended to 5 – 7 working days. As this system is newly implemented, occasional delays due to ongoing updates may occur.

This change affects companies registered with MOL that have labor contracts for employees. We are awaiting confirmation from the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) on any potential impact on entities under their jurisdiction, which do not generally require labor contracts for employees.

Note that other cancellation requirements, such as cancelling dependents and removing vehicle ownership, remain unchanged.

Deloitte’s view

The revised RP cancellation process introduces an additional step, requiring employers to obtain contract termination approval from MOL before proceeding with MOI. This emphasizes the importance of planning and timely submission to avoid operational disruptions.

Clients will need to adjust internal processes to accommodate this new requirement and ensure timely communication with employees for smooth approvals. Initial implementation may cause some delays, so we recommend proactively managing the process by submitting requests well in advance and staying updated on any changes from MOL and QFC. Deloitte will continue to monitor the situation and provide timely updates to help clients adapt effectively.