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    Pre-arrival Guide


    Review Qatar Vision 2030, the Immigration, Welcome and Introduction Guides:

    In preparing to move to Doha, please make sure you go through ​the pre-arrival guide.  Complete the required items, bring the documents as requested, and bear in mind the following tips:  

    Review the Human Resources orientation schedule that may be downloaded from the Orientation page.

     

    Arrival in Doha

    The 2014/2015 Academic Year Qatar University Human Resources Orientation period will be held on August 10 – 11- 12, August 17 – 18 – 19 and on August 24 – 25 – 26. While you can commence your HR processing as late as August 31st (first day of employment), we encourage you to get a head start on the processing as unavoidable delays are common. Additionally, you and your family will have enough time to acclimatize yourself to your new surroundings, and to get over any jet lag. Please note, since the official start date at Qatar University is August 31st, you will not be compensated (other than provision of your residence) until September 30th, 2013. However, you are entitled to apply for an advance on your first month's salary during Orientation Week.

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    Travel Ticket 

    The Recruiting Section will get in touch with you once your Entry Visa is issued by the Department of Labor/Qatari Passport Office.

    Recruiting will ask you for your preferred routes of travel. The information will be passed to our travel coordinator who will make your reservations and send you an e- ticket.

    You may also make your own reservations and seek reimbursement from Qatar University. However, the reimbursement amount will not exceed the quotation amount received from Qatar Airways.

    If you have opted to arrange your own air travel tickets, please inform the Recruiting Section about your flight details. Please provide the carrier name, flight number, date of travel, departure and arrival times, number of people accompanying you and the estimated number of pieces of luggage you will be carrying. Send the information at least 2 weeks prior to your arrival date so that appropriate transportation can be provided.

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    Police Clearance

    Getting a police clearance or a good conduct certificate is the responsibility of the new hire. The University cannot provide assistance in this matter, however, we can only provide guidance based on information we may receive from local embassies.

    Per State of Qatar requirement, a new hire must provide a police clearance or a good conduct certificate from the same country that he/she is holding a passport from and intends to enter Qatar using that same passport. For example, if a new recruit is planning to enter Qatar on a US passport, they will have to provide the University with a police clearance from the US even if they are residing outside the country. The clearance must be original and stamped by the issuing agency. The clearance must also be authenticated from the employee"s home country"s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Dept of State). Two options are available at this point: 1) Get further authentication from a Qatari Diplomatic representation in your country; or 2) Bring the document with you and take it to your embassy in Doha. If you country is not represented in Qatar you may take it to the British Embassy for authentication. Once stamped by your embassy in Qatar (or the British Embassy) you will have to take the document to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their final attestation. Once the document with the signatures are secured you will need to submit it to Qatar University's Passport Office to include it with your Residence Permit application.

    Please note that the process of getting this document takes a while and requires patience from your side. Therefore, you are advised to start having it processed as soon as possible. The University has made arrangements with the Qatari authorities to provide all faculty members an exemption for one year if they do not have their police clearance ready. If you do not have your police clearance ready by the time you apply for a Residence Permit, you will be issued a Residence Permit valid for one year. Once you secure the police clearance you can get your Residence Permit extended to three years. Therefore, for Qatar University faculty members, having a police clearance on hand is not an entry criterion to Qatar. Please note that the police clearance is for the employee only. Family members do not need a police clearance. 

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    Airport Pickup

    You will be greeted at the airport by a representative from Maha hospitality services.  The representative will facilitate your airport-related immigration process and transfer you to a Qatar University External Relations representative. The Qatar University representative will provide you with a “Welcome to Qatar University Kit”, complements of Qatar University.

    The Welcome to Qatar University Kit will include:

    • The Qatar University Orientation guidelines
    • Important telephone numbers and website addresses such as: Qatar University Housing office, Q​atar University Finance office, Emergency telephone  numbers and an HR representative’s telephone number
    • Information about local schools, car rental companies, private taxis and public taxi services, fast food restaurants and home food delivery telephone numbers
    • Marhaba (Guide book to Qatar)
    • Map of the City of Doha

     You will be transferred to a Qatar University car and driver at the airport and you will be taken to your permanent accommodation.  There is no cost for these services.

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    Documents to Bring with You

    • passport size photos of employee and each family member 
    • passport (original & copy)
    • copy of Entry Visa
    • copy of highest educational certificate/degree or transcript (Original education qualification certificate/diploma)
    • police Clearance Certificate duly attested by your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the nearest Qatari Diplomatic Mission of your country
      • Please note that the original of this document must be given to Qatar University's Passport Office
    • copy of spouse’s and dependants' passports  (if applicable)
    • copy of marriage certificate  (if applicable)
    • copy of children’s birth certificate(s)   (if applicable)
    • carry Qatar University key contact telephone numbers in case you need to contact anyone in case of an emergency
    • if your pet is traveling with you, you must carry the original 'Permit to Import Pets (dogs & cats)' document issued by the Department of Animal Resources in the State of Qatar
    • download the orientation agenda to see how these documents and photos are used 

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    Housing

    Depending on your position and grade level, size of your family and availability, the accommodation can be an apartment or a villa in a compound with or without facilities like a gym and a swimming pool. Academic staff and administrative personnel who are holding executive positions may be allocated villas. All faculty accommodations is furnished with basic furniture such as bed, mattress, closets, dressers, sofa, armchairs, dining table, chairs, TV and satellite. The kitchen is provided with major appliances excluding microwave, pots and pans and utensils. The accommodations are also furnished with air conditioning units. Tenants are responsible for paying their own utility bills.

    View the interior of some housing from a Foundation  Colleague's blog showing housing, scenic Doha and more

    For more information on University housing please visit the Housing website at http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/housing_department/.   

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    Transportation

    A shuttle bus will pick you up in the morning at your residential compound to take you to the University.   We do not recommend that family members accompany you as the processing activities that you will be involved in today are efficiently undertaken if you are alone.

    During the Human Resources Orientation and In-processing week you will be able to apply for a vehicle permit in order to access the Women's Campus with your vehicle. If you have your own car you can go ahead and apply for a permanent permit. If you are renting a car you will require a temporary vehicle permit which you can renew every 2 weeks. You must have the permit returned to the Safety and Security Section once you sell your car, change your vehicle plate number or even if you have a car accident.

    If you have a vehicle permit you can park your car anywhere in the designated faculty/staff parking areas.

    Your contact person on vehicle permits at the Safety and Security Section is Ahmed Jabor O S Al-Mannai. Mr Ahmed can be reached at +974 4403-3517 or aga2226@qu.edu.qa.

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    Currency

    Like most of the countries, Qatar also has its own currency. Qatari Riyal is the Qatar currency. Qatar money that is Qatari Riyal is equivalent to 100 dirhams. There are denominations in notes as QAR 50, 10, 500, 100, 5 and 1. There are denominations in coins of Qatar money also. These are 10, 5, 50, 25, and 1 dirham. However, except 50 and 25 coins in the denomination of the Qatar money, others are not in wide circulation. The money of Qatar or Qatari Riyal is closely associated with the US Dollar. People in Qatar can avail ATM cards, debit and credit cards. Products of financial companies like Diners Club, American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

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    Pets

    Pets are allowed into Qatar. Keep in mind that you will likely live in an apartment, so a large dog may not be comfortable. In addition, summer temperatures are often too hot for pets to spend much time outdoors.

    Inform the Recruiting Section of your desire to bring your pet. You will have to provide us with a scanned copy of their vaccination records including rabies shot and a health certificate issued by a government approved veterinary clinic at the point of origin. The health certificate must be dated no earlier than two weeks prior to the date of the animal"s arrival date to Qatar. The Recruiting Section will obtain the import permit from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture (MMAA) and courier the document to you. The import of certain larger breeds such as Boxers, Bulldogs, Rottweilers and Great Danes are not allowed into Qatar. 

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    Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses

    The University's contribution to relocation baggage expenses for unaccompanied airfreight, from the location of residence at the time of recruitment to Doha, will be reimbursed only within the amount stated in your offer letter.  

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    Shipping and Airfreight

    You can ship your belongings in your name c/o University address. Contact a shipping company in your country and arrange with them to ship door-to-door or door-to-port. Please arrange for your goods to arrive in Doha after your arrival date in the country as QU does not have storage facilities.

    In case you chose to airfreight your personal belonging door-to-port, you will need to go to the Cargo Terminal of Doha International Airport and arrange with a local clearing agent (found on site) to clear your shipment. Please note that although this is a cheaper method than shipping door-to-door the clearing agent will not be able to transport your goods from the airport to your residence. 

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    Recruitment Progress

    As soon as the Recruitment Section receives your acceptance email, you will be sent a welcome email which contains information about your next steps. You will have to provide the Recruiting Section with the necessary documents specified in the welcome email. Once the required documents are received the Recruiting Section will process your Entry Visa to Qatar.

    Allocation of accommodation and other relevant information will be communicated to you as soon as they become available from the Housing Department.

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    Education for Children

    Qatar University has compiled an extensive list of schools in Doha for your convenience.  All faculty members are entitled to a children's educational allowance for up to 3 children at international schools. A child must not exceed the age of 18 to be provided with this benefit. Please refer to Qatar University HR policies for eligibility and maximum amounts entitled.  Please download and reference the document below for a complete listing. 

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    Policies & Procedures

    See 'Getting Settled'. 

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    Work Entry Visa  

    Qatar University Recruitment office will email your Doha work entry visa before you leave the US. Be sure to print it out and bring it with you when you travel.

    Immediately upon your arrival the process will be started for your residence visa, which will take 4 – 6 weeks. You are not allowed to leave the country while your residence visa is being processed. Human Resources requires copies of your marriage license, diplomas, passport, as well as a record of your blood type to complete your residency permit application.

    Qatar University is responsible for the preparation, submission and payment of documents to the relevant authorities for obtaining visas for the employee and his/her immediate family (spouse and 3 children).

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    Mentors and Mentees  

    The mentor-mentee relationship is based on trust and respect and on the willingness of both parties to make the transition of the new colleague to Qatar University and Doha as smooth as possible.  In order to facilitate the acculturation of a peer coming newly to Qatar University, mentors are willing to spend extra effort in supporting a new colleague who needs such support.

    Mentors  commit to:

    • be available to provide emotional support and encouragement to mentee
    • introduce the mentee to other key individuals and resources inside and outside the institution
    • advise mentee while settling in at Qatar University and in Doha
    • obtain  and share knowledge about the institution’s environment
    • raise awareness about institutional expectations
    • provide advice regarding academic concerns, research, and career advancement

    Academic Mentoring Gu​idelines

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