Opportunity

This is a highly rewarding opportunity for an experienced Immigration Consultant to support the Mobilisation Practice, an integral part of the Employment and Company Secretarial Practices, in our Doha office.

The Team

Clyde & Co is one of very few firms in the region that has a dedicated locally based team of specialist employment and incentives lawyers advising on the varied issues facing businesses day to day.

The firm's MEA Employment Team, which includes native Arabic speakers, provides advice across the region in all areas of contentious and non-contentious employment law. Our focus is in providing commercially orientated advice and practical solutions within the ambit of a large full-service international law firm.

Working with members of the Firm's network of offices and third-party providers, the team regularly provides project management support to clients on cross-border issues.

Sector Focus

Regionally the MEA Employment Team advises clients across various sectors, including construction, technology, education, hospitality, foreign direct investment, retail and insurance and on compliance with employment and immigration regulations, including health and safety.

As part of its regional reach, the Team advises on free zone regulations, including the QFC and QFZ in Qatar and ADGM and DIFC in the UAE.

Immigration

Unlike other firms in the region, Clyde & Co operates a successful immigration practice. Our Doha, Dar Es Salaam, Cairo and Nairobi offices undertake practical immigration work; our Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh and South African offices advise on immigration matters and liaise with local immigration specialists for practical support.

In Doha, the immigration practice "dove tails" with the office's employment and company secretarial practice to ensure that corporate clients receive complete logistical and mobilisation support when entering and operating in Qatar.

Clients

The team acts for multinational clients, large family-owned businesses as well as Government owned and Government decreed entities.

Work Highlights

• Advising a multinational technology company registered in the QFZ on the mobilisation of its start-up workforce, including advising on Qatar laws and regulations, providing an internal immigration signatory and undertaking the practical work to mobilise and demobilise.
• Advising the QFC branch of a global professional services company specialising in digital solutions to mobilise their Qatar workforce, including providing an internal immigration signatory, liaising with the QFC through its client portal and undertaking the practical work to mobilise and demobilise.
• Advising a State branch in the oil and gas sector on the transfer of their existing Qatar employees from a PEO and mobilising their new staff, including providing an internal immigration signatory, drafting all documents and submitting and processing them through the Qatar ministries in person.
• Advising an Indian multinational business consultant on the start-up mobilisation in the QFC for a large Qatar based digitalisation project, including material advise and management of mobilisation through Qatar Visa Centre portal.
• Advising a wholly foreign owned hospitality sector State company on the structuring of its workforce for a large world cup project, including advising on the registration of a special purpose vehicle for temporary workers and undertaking the mobilisation of permanent staff.
• Advising a European specialist concierge provider on the rapid mobilisation of temporary workers using client world cup access visas.
• Advising a State branch in the oil and gas sector on the mobilisation of off shore workers using seaman's and other temporary visas, including drafting government support letters and service agreement with maritime service providers.

What the directories say

Clients appreciate that "Clyde & Co is a well-established presence in Qatar, and its Doha office provides a comprehensive offering across a variety of sectors and practice areas. The firm excels in the employment sphere, covering a wide range of matters including assistance with contracts and immigration-related advice. The transactional team offers counsel on private equity and business restructuring as well as joint ventures."

Emma Higham focuses on employment issues and has an "ability to navigate complex issues with ease and deliver favourable outcomes is commendable. Knowing we have her as our lawyer brings me peace of mind - she is undoubtedly a valuable asset to us." Chambers and Partners, 2024

"Emma is very well connected and we appreciate her knowledge and communication skills." - Chambers and Partners, 2024

Sara Khojareceives high praise from commentators, who say: "Sara is the go-to lawyer when we have delicate employment situations."noting that she is "an expert who always has the right answer. ". Her practice encompasses workplace investigations and defending employers against claims for unfair dismissal, as well as providing support on the employment implications of major M&A transactions.

The Role

We are looking for an Immigration Consultant to join our busy MEA Employment Team.

Key Responsibilities

• Day to day management of Qatar mobilisation work which may include pure immigration work or a combination of immigration, company secretarial and/or basic employment work
• Reporting to Emma Higham on the status of open matters daily
• Liaison with other regional offices as appropriate where clients require advice which may extend beyond Qatar
• Preparing and reviewing documents in Arabic and English
• Experience in using government authority portals to submit applications and monitor progress
• Carrying out legal research on points of law and preparing a note on findings
• Attending client meetings and preparing minutes of meetings
• Providing other relevant assistance where required
• Contributing to the employment practices know how and precedents system
• Supporting the MEA Employment Team's cross-selling initiatives to other MEA practice areas and the global Clyde & Co network
• Assisting with the preparation and delivery of proposals, pitches, presentations and legal training materials
• Acting as a mentor to junior members of the MEA Employment team

Essential Skills & Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• Have attained a degree certificate(s) from a reputed institution or equivalent
• At least 5 years' experience or equivalent
• Be fluent in written/spoken Arabic and English
• Have worked extensively on immigration-related matters; awareness of Qatar company secretarial and employment matters preferred
• Strong drafting skills and a keen attention to detail
• Be a self-starter who is resourceful and able to work under minimal supervision
• Be self-motivated and possesses a very pro-active attitude towards completing jobs
• Have strong attention to detail and good organisation skills
• Be commercially aware and able to take a practical approach to matters
• Experience in carrying out detailed and methodical legal research using available resources
• Have a mature and flexible personality and is able to work well within a team

Our Doha office:

Based in Doha for over 15 years Clyde & Co has worked with Qatari entities and international clients on landmark regulatory frameworks and infrastructure projects integral to the growth of the market. Our full-service offering and longevity in the market results in our team advising clients across multiple sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, energy and hospitality on how to operate successfully in the Qatar market.

Clyde & Co is one of the largest international law firms in Qatar, with 5 partners and 15 staff based in Doha and the only international law firms with a distinct Employment practice. Our excellent team is regularly recognised for their contribution to the Qatari legal market, most recently by being awarded the prestigious Law Firm of the Year Award - Qatar by The Oath awards. Our lawyers are also highly ranked in the major legal directories, with clients saying, 'Working with Clyde & Co in Qatar is always a pleasure' and 'They'll always deliver and their knowledge of how things work in Qatar is very extensive'.

Clyde & Co in the Middle East and Africa

With over 30 years' experience in the region and the largest presence of any international law firm, we pride ourselves on being able to help clients recognise and overcome the challenges of doing business in the Middle East and Africa.

In terms of our Middle East foot print, our more than 40 partners and 150 legal professionals work from four offices located in the region's major commercial hubs, enabling us to support our clients across the full spectrum of their corporate and commercial needs throughout the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and wider Levant.

In Africa, Clyde & Co is one of the largest international law firms operating on the continent, with over 120 lawyers helping clients to enter and operate in Africa.

We have been active in the region for over 20 years, advising on complex multi-jurisdictional transactions that include some of the continent's largest infrastructure and energy projects. Our experience extends to more than 50 different African markets across South, West, East, Central and North Africa.

Our deep sector knowledge covers insurance, energy, transport, infrastructure, marine and trade as well as aviation, education, defence, finance, healthcare, hospitality and technology.

Clyde & Co

Clyde & Co is a leading global law firm, with 480 partners, 2400 lawyers, 3200 legal professionals and 5000 people in over 60 offices and associated offices worldwide.

We specialise in the sectors that underpin global trade and commercial activity, namely: energy, marine, insurance, transport, construction, trade and commodities. We are globally integrated, offering a comprehensive range of contentious and non-contentious legal services and commercially minded legal advice to businesses operating across the world.

We are committed to operating in a responsible way. This means progressing towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities and clients, using our legal skills to support our communities through pro bono work, volunteering and charitable partnerships, and minimising the impact we have on the environment.

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