Unlicensed expat real estate brokers in Qatar to face deportation

Published:  26 Sep at 6 PM
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As part of Qatar’s newly introduced real estate brokerage laws, any non-Qatari, unlicensed real estate salespersons will be arrested and will face immediate deportation.

The new penalties for non-licensed expat estate agents have now been confirmed by Qatari Minster of Justice Hassan bin Lahdan Mohannadi, with the legal draft itself now forwarded to the emirate’s Shura Council for its approval. The minister explained the new regulations for real estate brokerages have been clearly laid out, and include real estate valuations, auctions and the management of properties belonging to third parties.

The profession itself is to be limited to Qatari nationals who have attended training courses and been successful in an end-of-course examination. The change in the law was the result of consultations with industry professionals and real estate owners as well as an examination of the emirate’s real estate market and its challenges.

The draft law will put in place an accountability system including safeguarding mortgage brokers against violation of their terms, and will also disallow random advertising of properties. Real estate offices will be able to access all necessary documentation online as long as they work according to the new law.

Meanwhile, the results of the recent worldwide HSBC Expat Explorer survey have confirmed Bahrain as the overall preferred destination in the Middle East due to ease of adjustment and friendliness towards expats. The emirate ranks ninth globally, overtaking the UAE and leaving far behind other GCC countries such as Kuwait in 35th place, Saudi Arabia in 31st, Qatar in 29th and Oman at 18th out of the 45 countries surveyed.

Kuwait has figured poorly in this year’s two most important expat surveys, Expat Explorer and InterNations, being placed as the worst destination for expat lifestyles in both. However, the UAE is well-placed as to the level of expat salaries. The only good news for UAE expats is that those with tuberculosis will now be able to take a course of treatment rather than being deported.
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