Qatar is a rich country. Located in Asia, the country is the fourth richest in the world in 2021. It’s only behind Luxembourg, Singapore, and Ireland. Nevertheless, it’s a relatively small country with just about 2 million people. To put that into perspective, Lagos state alone, the second-most populous state in Nigeria, has more than 12 million people.
Many Nigerians aspire to work outside the country and Qatar is one of such countries where they want to go. Like it is with travelling to any other foreign country, it’s not very simple to move out to work in Qatar. If you don’t do it right, you might become a victim of modern slavery which many African migrants have become victims to.
In this article, I’ll be explaining how to secure a job in Qatar from Nigeria. We’ll be looking at this in 3 steps.
First Step: Job Application
What you want to do is to secure a job in Qatar from Nigeria. Hence, the first thing to do is to apply for your job. The first thing to consider is what type of job you are going to do in Qatar. There are educated and uneducated jobs. To be plain, you’ll only be able to apply, or even know about a job in Qatar if you have a reliable source.
Occasionally, you might come across some Qatar jobs advertised online but, they are usually not worthwhile. It’s either you get exclusive info about an available job vacancy in Qatar or you have some in Qatar willing to help you secure a job. On career platforms like LinkedIn, you can find and apply for official jobs from companies in Qatar; those are the jobs you can trust. In this article, I discussed how to get a job using LinkedIn and you can apply the steps here.
These jobs are, however, mainly office jobs – educated jobs. You can travel to work a blue-collar job. If that’s your option, you should be careful of who’s helping you travel in other not to end up in the wrong hands. If you ask me, I’ll advise you not to. There are lots of blue-collar jobs in Nigeria already that you can help yourself with. Reports show that Qatar companies don’t pay their migrant workers enough and they also owe salaries.
After identifying an ideal job, you can apply to provide and submit all the needed documents. This includes your CV, certificates, cover letters, etc. You’re likely to submit this stuff via email.
Second Step: Visa Application
Visa application in Nigeria is relatively expensive and can take a lot of time. Before beginning your Visa application, you should have gotten the job or at least have prospects of securing it. Companies will give you some time to travel since you’re not just travelling but also migrating. Therefore, you’ll have enough time to prepare and grab your visa.
As every visa application requires, you’ll need an international passport and passport-sized photographs. In some cases, you might need to present your statement of account. If your employer is taking care of your abroad expenses, then you won’t need to.
Normally, a work visa can take anywhere between a week to a month. If you have already gotten the job, your visa application will be a lot easier and faster. Once you present your job certificate or employment letter at the embassy, you can’t be denied a visa unless there’s a fault on your part. You won’t need to start giving reasons why you want to move to Asia. In most cases even, your employer is the one to arrange your visa. You just submit your documents and go and pick up your visa on your given date.
Remember there are two things involved here, you’re going to work and live. As a result, a work visa is not enough, you also need a resident visa. Not to worry, you can travel and live in Qatar with just your work visa. A typical work visa should last for 6 months. After your 6 months of staying in Qatar, you can then apply for a resident visa. A residential visa in Qatar lasts for 2 years; you’ll have to reapply whenever it expires.
Third Step: Travelling
Once you have your visa, congratulations. Now the last step is where you travel. Before travelling, however, there are some things you need to do to ensure entry into Qatar. This includes a medical test and criminal clearance. Sometimes, these steps may be requested during your visa application procedure. This is just to ensure that you’re healthy enough to work in Qatar and that you’re not a convict.
You can also do this when you arrive in Qatar. The medical check up can take 3 to 5 days to complete. It can also be done in just one day and it usually involves a blood test and an x-ray. For the criminal clearance, you’ll need to submit your fingerprint. The department will check your fingerprint in different international criminal databases and local police records. This other procedure can take up to a week. It could take longer in Nigeria where the police don’t have an accurate database.
Finally, you have to arrange your accommodation when you arrive Qatar. Normally, your employer should provide you with accommodation. Otherwise, you can book a hotel to stay upon arrival until you find a place to rent. If you manage to have anyone in Qatar, you can also stay with them for the mean time.
Bottom Line
Securing a job in Qatar from Nigeria is a lot easier if you’re very qualified. That is, you have all the required certificates, skills, and education to fill the job position. You should avoid migrating illegally to work in Qatar from Nigeria; it always doesn’t end well.