Qatar’s Ministry of Labour held the second consultative session in a series aimed at advancing the Private Sector Nationalisation Plan and its targets, with a focus on companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange. The meeting, chaired by Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri, brought together chief executive officers and senior management representatives from listed companies to discuss the implementation of the Private Sector Nationalisation Law.
This session follows an initial meeting held for state-owned companies and public-benefit entities, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the effective application of the nationalisation policy. The discussions centered on identifying challenges faced by private sector firms, exploring mechanisms for compliance, and gathering feedback and proposals from participating companies.
Dr. al-Marri underscored the ministry’s commitment to fostering partnership with private-sector entities, noting the significant role played by Qatar Stock Exchange-listed companies in the national economy. He emphasized that these firms are vital stakeholders in achieving the nationalisation targets outlined in the plan.
The Nationalisation Plan sets specific objectives tailored to different types of establishments and targeted economic sectors. It also includes the launch of a Nationalisation Award to recognize outstanding companies and Qatari nationals contributing to the initiative. The plan mandates private-sector entities to regularly update workforce data biannually, certify employment contracts and work regulations, ensure all salaries are processed through the Wage Protection System, utilize the “Basher” platform for notifications of employee appointments and terminations, and meet established nationalisation and employment benchmarks.
On the ministry’s part, Dr. al-Marri explained that responsibilities include providing advance notice to companies before the law’s implementation, outlining compliance requirements, detailing penalties for violations, offering incentive support, clarifying private-sector restrictions, and conducting performance reviews of the nationalisation effort two years after rollout.
Regulatory bodies overseeing various sectors are charged with aligning nationalisation targets to sector-specific realities, integrating these targets into licensing and supervision frameworks, monitoring compliance, submitting periodic reports, and facilitating workforce qualification and training programs aligned with sector needs.
In addition, Dr. al-Marri highlighted the ministry’s dedication to preparing Qatari students for the labor market through collaboration with private-sector partners. This initiative aims to cultivate a skilled and ambitious national workforce while enhancing the sector’s capacity to attract and retain local talent, in line with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Concluding the session, the minister stressed that the Nationalisation Plan’s success hinges on coordinated efforts among the Ministry of Labour, sector regulators, and private-sector companies. He reaffirmed that the consultative sessions serve as crucial platforms for stakeholder engagement, fostering dialogue, sharing expertise, and advancing the plan’s implementation goals.