Qatar: Why Would You Want to Work There?!?

Imagine waking up every morning to a beautiful blue sky with the sun shining and palm trees blowing gently in the breeze, driving along the palm fringed Corniche on your way to work whilst gazing at the crystal clear Arabian Gulf on one side and lush green parks on the other side. Every day feels great!  Explore Qatar for working and living and you could make these a reality!

Not only does Qatar enjoy the climate and scenery offered by the Arabian Gulf but the Qatar economy is among the best in the Arab World. Wherever you look around Qatar’s Capital, Doha, the skyline is peppered with a wealth of development and construction with hotels, shopping malls, and high rise buildings sprouting from all corners of the city. Qatar’s recent rapid development has brought an ever increasing expatriate community with the offer of many prospective opportunities.

Working in Qatar not only means a great opportunity to get involved in mega construction projects, but also a tax-free salary and package of benefits. Living in the city, there's a wide range of apartments and villas available in Qatar. In fact most visitors are pleasantly surprised when they are greeted by modern architecture co habiting with traditional houses and ancient wind-towers in the cities of Qatar. With Qatari Riyals (QR) as the official currency, the current exchange rate is around QR 5.85 equals one British Pound. At current rate, it costs around QR 6,000 to rent a one bed apartment and QR 13,000 for 3 bedrooms in Doha the capital where over 80% of its population live.  Private rentals are best sought out from the classifieds sections of Qatar's English language newspapers  e.g. “The Gulf Times” & “The Peninsula”.  If you‘re on the Internet, you could look up www.propertyfinder.qa  they give you easy access to available rental openings listed via different agencies. Estate agents in Qatar liaise between the landlord and the tenant, offering their services at an average fee of 5% annual rent, with the fee payable by the tenant.

The education system in Qatar at all levels is well developed and you should have no concerns for your children’s continuing education by relocating to the Gulf state. There are a large number of private and international schools, which most expatriates and some Qataris choose to send their children to. The majority of the international schools follow British National curriculum going into either the IGCSE or the IB program, while there are also schools offering curriculum in line with the United State (AERO), Canada (Alberta Education Program), India (CBSE) and France. Like the wide range of offerings with education, the tuition fees also range from QR 20,000 to QR 70,000 per school year depending on the school curriculum, facilities and grade of the student.

Let’s not forget about Qatar’s lifestyle and seasoned culture! The Museum of Islamic Art and the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art are some of the many cultural attractions that are great to visit with your family. They are both unpretentious with stunning architecture and excellent exhibitions. Free family fun sessions are also available for children. 

The country is surrounded by beautifully clear and calm seas so all kinds of water sports are available and very popular. Kite-surfing is increasingly popular for the adrenalin junkies as is driving jet-skis at high speed. Safari tours to the desert with dune-bashing in 4x4’s would also give you an  unforgettable experience. Whether you are snapping photos of the beautiful white sand dunes,  sand surfing, going on a camel ride, a swim in the Inland Sea or even staying overnight at a desert camp, there’s a lot going in Qatar! 

If you are interested to live and work in Qatar and would like to know more about the construction and QS positions available, please review the vacancies on the Maxim Recruitment website and apply with your CV for the role you are most interested in!

Good luck!

Kelly Ng

Maxim Recruitment