By Menatalla Ibrahim
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Social and Labour Affairs (MADSLA) has launched Kawader, a national employment platform that aims to provide Qatari citizens with the opportunity to acquire different jobs that best suit their individual qualifications.
A new platform has been launched by Qatar’s labour ministry [MADSLA] to streamline the way in which job seekers land opportunities across a range of fields in both the public and private sector.
Kawader, a new national employment platform, unveiled 4,800 jobs on its platform on Monday, urging Qatar’s unemployed to register online to gain access to the next batch of opportunities expected to be shared in September.
The first stage for registration for private and government sector jobs opened up for unemployed Qatari citizens this week, Minister of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs HE Yousuf Mohammed Al Othman Fakhroo said. Those born to Qatari mothers will only be nominated for jobs in the private sector, the ministry added. Details of who will qualify for the next round of jobs have yet to be announced.
“This is a great initiative from the ministry that I am sure will help a lot of people find jobs in an easy and effective way,” says Dana Mahmoud, a fresh Qatari graduate from Northwestern University in Qatar. “I’ve been trying to apply for jobs for months now, and there have always been complications. I am sure Kawader will make the process easier and will provide jobs that are suited for me.”
Read also: Qatar Chamber opens employment platform for laid-off private-sector workers
At a press conference held last week to launch the new platform, Fakhroo described it as the ministry’s latest effort taken to enhance its role in assisting Qataris in their quest for employment, irrespective of their academic background or qualifications.
Abdullah Musallam Al-Dosari, Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative Development Affairs, said that the number of jobs is expected to increase and includes all specialisations and entry levels.
‘Qatarisation’ goals
Al-Dosari also urged all job seekers who qualify to apply through Kawader to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the ministry, advising students to take on scholarship and training programs in order to increase their employability status.
The service provides job seekers with a space to create a CV and search for relevant jobs while also scheduling interview dates and arranging application follow ups.
The move comes amid the country’s ongoing attempts to achieve its ‘Qatarisation’ goals — an initiative designed to get more nationals into employment.
In July, Qatar’s Cabinet approved a draft law that stipulates state-owned private sector companies must strive towards ensuring their overall workforce is made up of at least 60 percent Qatari nationals. It also urged companies to increase the ratio of Qatari nationals in their human resources departments to a minimum of 80 percent.
Nationally and across all sectors, Qatari nationals make up only 5 percent of the total labour force. According to the Planning and Statistics Authority’s labour force survey, the private sector employs 79 percent of the country’s total labour force. According to a 2018 census, the percentage of Qataris working there does not exceed 10 percent.
Qataris only account for 15 percent of the country’s 2.7 million population, with a large number of its workforce depending on migrant labourers and expatriates.
Qatar’s National Vision 2030 aims to provide permanent employment for at least 50 percent of its citizens.
