cdn3

This is extremely concerning to say the least, this is an eye-opener for sure. Will be getting a multi for sure. Good luck.

Tramps_mate

Or just dont borrow any money...

McZaki

Presumably, they are holding on to your passport as well?

I don't know why you borrowed the money but if you truly had the local experience then you knowingly took the risk - it is a bad bad idea to borrow money in the Middle East. I'd even say that if you are working/living in ME as a western expat and find yourself in a situation where you have to borrow money to survive/meet your needs then something is very wrong and the best case may be to go back home or change lifestyle so you could live within your means.

I know the above statements doesn't really help you. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who could get you out of the country by any other means and/or know a Qatari who could talk to your employer to buy you more time - if that's what you were expecting from me since I looked at this post.

Sell any valuables that you have - expensive watch, wife's jewelry, that fancy TV etc and pay off as much as you can. Talk to your boss's boss and request him to get you either the exit permit so you could go home and pay off the debt once you have another job or issue you the NOC so you could find a job locally and can continue to fulfill your financial obligations. If he doesn't listen to you or offer any help then you are working for a shit company and a bunch of nobheads.

Can I ask you a question (don't be offended) - are you a caucasian? From your posts, I get the impression that you're not, and that my friend could be the key difference between you leaving the country with a bad debt or getting walloped in prison due to bad debts!!

cdn3

Good point.

Advice

I'd say over 80% of jobs here don't offer multi entry-exit permits, its fine to say you wont take a post if it doesn't offer it but as mentioned before how do you say no to a job when unemployed based on this one stipulation? No they don't have my passport but so what? What use is it if you cant leave? British Embassy are powerless/unhelpful, not really sure what their function is out here to be honest.

Regardless, even if I was offered a multi entry-exit permit, the loan provider is also the employer, I'm sure they would have stopped me leaving somehow. To be honest I would not want to leave without paying but this forced re-payment is in a non-direct manner hoping I cant to imprison me. The amount is peanuts to them based on the bottom line VS the amount I've saved them in expenses and pending fines but gratitude out here isn't common.

Borrowed an amount of money to pay towards mortgage back home, working for a bank you get lower rates. Loan term 4 years, paid 50% off in 6 months through good investments.

Based on monthly income the remaining amount was to be paid off in approx. the same period. Loan amount was always affordable during the term taken VS monthly income. Hindsight etc, wouldn't have obviously but the termination was out of the blue.

It was an unhealthy environment to work for so relieved I'm out so no regrets there; Working 7 days a week up to 15hrs per day for 2-3 months.
The 80% upfront payment knocked me for six, no restructuring, no time allowed, now or else. Simply put office politics, not worth going into he said/she said as each has their own rendition of the facts.

Was called in to discuss NOC, was never once mentioned during the meeting. Straight off the bat, we want our money and jail will ruin your chances of ever coming back to the ME. That was it, there was no discussion permitted regarding anything but the monies owed, was told quite clearly there is no negotiation. Told them I have 50% of the loan amount in my account, take it. Not enough the response. After that it was shut up and accept the decision as I was told this is them being professional and tolerant. Jail mentioned again at some point but zoned out just thinking how to survive in the desert.

Born and bred Londoner but not Caucasian in skin colour, I know it does play significant role in life in general, but more so out here I see. Was hoping someone knew a few things or someone that could help. We hear of plenty of horrific injustices out here and was just hoping maybe for once it wouldn't play out as it tends to do.

Learnt about local guarantor, getting a Qatari sponsor since then, facts like these etc. Unfortunately, dont have either.

Britmal

You have a serious problem and only two options are open to you:

1.Get the cash and pay back the loan.
2.Find another way to get out of the place.

Even if you are not jailed you will be prevented from leaving until you repay the loan.

Don't worry about the NOC BS, if you were terminated it's unlikely you will ever work there again anyway.

Just do whatever you have to and get out of there ASAP.

Advice

1. Secured 80% but that's tapped me out, had I been given more than a week I could have raised it; fire sale back home etc. Need to secure employment to pay off 20%. Therein lies the other problem, appears all IT roles and PM roles (non-construction) are dominated by 99% Indians in the Middle East; which is 1/3 or 1/2 the salary a Westerner commands.

2. Any ideas ?

Crazy, came to make some money and save, ended up close to broke and if I don't secure a job within a month then I've accepted the fact I'm actually going to jail. Hope I dont end up in Serial 2 podcast...

busybee2

its unfortunate but its the way the gcc works and you really cant fight that system... you will just need to pay up.

McZaki

PM me your contact details, I'll try to connect you with an acquaintance who may be able to offer some help - he has good local connections but don't rely on random folks to fix your issues.

Importantly, don't give up and stay strong. Remortgage home in the UK to release some equity or take a secured loan. You will not be able to find work locally without the NOC, and hoping that the buggers would give you the NOC is just naivety. Giving up and ending up in the prison would just make the matters even worse, as well, you'll end up putting your immediate and extended family under a lot of stress; do you expect them to pick up the tab for you whilst you sit on your arse in the prison?? It's not as if you'll come out of prison after a set period and the debt is written off (as far as I know you would still have to pay your debt before they blacklist you from the whole GCC and deport you from Qatar - I may be wrong though).

Try contacting a few british newspapers and discuss your case with them; someone may want to cover your story and if you're lucky then someone from ministry may get involve and ask your employer to let you go but you must keep up with the payments and clear the debt- Qatar is trying best to avoid any sort of bad publicity before the world cup. Alternatively, promote your story through facebook - someone in your community (someone rich) may step up to help you financially, for a positive PR.

If somehow you're able to arrange the cash then before handing over that cheque to your employer/lender, ask them to come to the meet with a letter clearly stating that you have settled your debt, as well, the NOC letter.

After the whole shenanigans, my advice would be to avoid Qatar and try to find some work in the UAE or just do something in Europe. I cannot understand why colored folks are so desperate to work in the ME knowing the level of discrimination and humiliation they have to go through in this region. It doesn't matter if you're a british born and bred, you're just another brown/black slave to them (sorry sounds harsh but it's the reality and you know it!!).

Also, tell the folks back home that next time don't moan about the "discrimination" at home. Folks back home are actually the good guys who have given up their rights in their own homeland to facilitate the minority migrants and their british flock - we need to start appreciating our Britian a bit more!!!. Generally, the civilized world treats everyone with dignity and respect. It's the "homies" who discriminates, and probably need another 1000 years to catch up with rest of the civilized world.

archie159

You've probably thought of these and tried already, but just in case:

- Is the bank an international brand? If so, use whatever connections you can find to get in touch with head-office. Use every connection you have ever made - this is the one time when you cannot afford to be nervous about calling up people you once met years ago and asking for help. Often bank head-offices don't have as much control over middle east franchise-banks as one would expect, but they do worry about their brand reputation, and ruining the life of an expat employee who is doing his best to repay his debt won't look good if you get to the "going to the media" stage.

- Find the most senior Brit in the same bank that you worked for (again, using any network you can call upon), or failing that any senior expat who comes from a county with a vaguely similar ethos. Do whatever you can to get to him, and again, plead your case, and see if he can intervene with whoever is being unreasonable. Assuming what you say is true, make the case that you can and will repay your debt if they give you a reasonable opportunity. It simply cannot be in the banks best interest, if they want to get their money back, for you to go to jail - from where you will have no hope of repaying your debt.

- Embassy. A long shot, but should you end up in jail then they will have to get involved whether they like it or not, and so if you've not done so yet, contact them - the consular staff, I think. Again, you've got to make it clear, and mean it, that you do intend to repay your debt, and that all you are asking is assistance in allowing you to do that. They might be able to contact the Qatari authorities and get them to intervene, or even the bank direct if they have the right connections.

- Is there a Qatari equivalent of the UAE national newspaper, and do they have a "personal finance" writer? If he/she is well connected then he/she might be able to assist you, and get a story out of it.

best of luck.

co durham boy

Contact the guys at Doha News , they'll listen to you and have some really good contacts legal and within the Qatari community . Tell the morons at your work that you're going to the press as well and you'll be specific with names .

Remember they hate all that shite , fine a man here 1 million QAR no problems at all but put his name in the press and the shit hits the blanket .

Johnnyboy11

Sorry to hear about your circumstances.

A few of thoughts from me on the NOC issue, from my own personal experience in Qatar...

(i) There is no such thing as an 'NOC letter'. If you find a new job, your immigration process will be restarted by your new employer from scratch: paperwork, medical, police clearance etc. In addition, your new employer will need to submit a sponsorship transfer form in support of your new immigration application that has been signed by both your old and new sponsors.

(ii) You'll require patience and the support of your new employer to achieve a sponsorship transfer. You may have to stay in Qatar until the transfer is complete and you've completed your probation period with your new employer. It took me 5 months to complete the sponsorship transfer process and get my first exit permit. This was a tough time, given that my family were still in the UK.

(iii) You need to have completed two years working in Qatar for your current sponsor before a transfer is allowed, but see the next comment...

(iv) If you can secure a new job with a Qatar Government agency such as Kharamaa, Ashghal, MMUP, QRail, QP, QIA etc. then they can circumvent the sponsorship transfer process by writing to immigration to secure your new Residency Permit/ Work Visa, even if your current sponsor objects. This might be possible in the private sector if your new sponsor has sufficient influence.

When you do get an exit permit, and I'm sure you will, then think carefully whether or not to return to the UK whilst you are out of work. It may affect your UK Residency Status and could potentially make you liable to full UK income tax and National Insurance on your worldwide earnings from the day you left the UK.

Hope this helps and I hope things work out well for you.

[J]

Advice

- Afraid the bank is not a European international brand.

- Most senior European that ran the entire department was dismissed from their role a month before I was; served 6 years there and built the bank up from nothing. Several months prior to that the Head of HR, another European, was dismissed on the spot through no fault of his own having served 3 years there; Qatarization. Marched out of the building by security.
Tried to get in touch with both of them but 1 doesnt pick up and the other number is dead.

- Guess I will go back to the embassy. As I said I've secured 80% of the capital to return. That last 20% which really isnt much, a months salary at best, is all thats left. I need time to repay and time they do not want to give me.

Boggles the mind how hopeless everything appears

Advice

Tried contacting them but no response.

Apprehension prevents me from informing them I'm going to the press, I honestly feel that statement will be conceived as a threat. The Head of HR sits on a governmental role and he doesnt play nice.

Britmal

Sorry if I seem intrusive, but how much do you owe them exactly? If it's only a small amount, can't you raise the cash somehow or charge it to the credit card of a friend or relative back home?