Press Release
Coming to Qatar Right Decision Say 87.6% of Expatriate Workers
Doha, Qatar 16/08/09
87.6% of expatriate employees in Qatar said they were happy they had come to Qatar, according to a Qatar jobs and employment survey commissioned by the tourist and residents' website Qatar Visitor and run with the assistance of ILoveQatar.net.
The survey, which questioned more than 220 employees working in Qatar, aimed to assess both how people found work in Qatar, and how that work had changed their lives.
Results showed that over 30% of employees found work via the internet, either via online job sites (16.1%), through jobs advertised directly on employment websites (7.2%) or by uploading their CV to websites (7.2%). Agencies accounted for a further 16.6% of positions found. More than a quarter of those who found work in Qatar via agencies claimed they had been illegally charged by those agencies.
The survey also asked why people came to Qatar. While almost half of those surveyed replied that money was the main motivating factor, a sizeable proportion of respondents (28.1%) sought work in Qatar in order to experience a new culture, whilst a smaller proportion (5.3%) were looking for adventure.
The majority of workers surveyed were well-educated, with 57.2% having a graduate or a post graduate degree. Only 1.8% of respondents claimed no qualification at all.
As is to be expected, the majority of those coming to Qatar experienced a sharp increase in salary. Before coming to Qatar, the largest income group (23.5%) earned between 501 and 1000 dollars per month. After relocating to Qatar, this group fell to 11.8%. In contrast, there was a sharp increase in the next two income groups, with the proportion of those earning from 1001-2000 dollars a month increasing from 13.7% to 25.7%, and the proportion of those earning 2001 - 4000 dollars a month more than doubling from 12.4% to 25.7%.
Qatar Visitor editor Philip Beech stated:
"The majority of our users come to Qatar Visitor looking for work. We hope that the results of this survey will help give them ideas of how to look for work in Qatar, who is likely to find work in Qatar and also what to expect when they get here."
CEO of I Love Qatar, Khalifa Saleh, added:
"The results clearly show that there is increased usage of online portals by those seeking jobs in the Middle East. It's undoubtedly going to increase in popularity in the future.
"Unfortunately, the results also show that there is a greater need for the regulation of employment agencies."
To view the full results of the survey, visit the Qatar Visitor Employment Survey.
Kindly Supplied by:
Qatar Visitor, which is part of the Soccerphile Group, is a comprehensive online tourist and resident guide to Qatar, with a particular emphasis on employment and finding work in Qatar.
Contact: Philip Beech (Editor)
philip@qatarvisitor.com
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Dust Storm Boosts Revenue for Car Washes.
After a week of being shrouded under the thick blanket of our most recent dust storm, to the delight of Qatar's residents, the air has finally cleared. Leaving the cars of the country coated in the dusty remnants.
Thick plumes of dust blew down from Iraq across Kuwait, Bahrain and the Gulf in a south easterly direction, engulfing Qatar on the 30th of July. Iraq is no stranger to dust storms, but for numerous reasons the twenty-first century has seen an increase in dust activity . Some causes include regional drought, water diversion, desertification, and power shortages that interfere with irrigation systems. The combination of these factors has led to a buildup of dust in Iraq that can be lofted into the atmosphere by even slight winds.
This is bad news for Qatar's proud car owners. Car owners in this country are consistently trying to keep their cars clean and shiny. Quite a conundrum when it is literally raining dust. Now that the air has cleared car owners are queueing to have the sandy deposits washed off their cars.
This is good news for car washing facilities. The car washes have seen a real surge in business over the past few days, with queues in some cases exceeding 45 minutes. To compound the problem, earlier this year we saw the closure of the many car washing shops in the Al Markhiya area, which was known for it's abundance them. People are now looking around for new places to wash their cars.
The problem doesn't end there. The prices at the remaining car wash shops has skyrocketed. Before you could get your car jack-washed for around 25 riyals, whereas now some places are charging up to 50 riyals for an SUV.
The world may be suffering from mass desertification whilst at the same time drowning in the global recession, all the while Qatar's car washing shops are laughing all the way to the bank.
Thick plumes of dust blew down from Iraq across Kuwait, Bahrain and the Gulf in a south easterly direction, engulfing Qatar on the 30th of July. Iraq is no stranger to dust storms, but for numerous reasons the twenty-first century has seen an increase in dust activity . Some causes include regional drought, water diversion, desertification, and power shortages that interfere with irrigation systems. The combination of these factors has led to a buildup of dust in Iraq that can be lofted into the atmosphere by even slight winds.
This is bad news for Qatar's proud car owners. Car owners in this country are consistently trying to keep their cars clean and shiny. Quite a conundrum when it is literally raining dust. Now that the air has cleared car owners are queueing to have the sandy deposits washed off their cars.
This is good news for car washing facilities. The car washes have seen a real surge in business over the past few days, with queues in some cases exceeding 45 minutes. To compound the problem, earlier this year we saw the closure of the many car washing shops in the Al Markhiya area, which was known for it's abundance them. People are now looking around for new places to wash their cars.
The problem doesn't end there. The prices at the remaining car wash shops has skyrocketed. Before you could get your car jack-washed for around 25 riyals, whereas now some places are charging up to 50 riyals for an SUV.
The world may be suffering from mass desertification whilst at the same time drowning in the global recession, all the while Qatar's car washing shops are laughing all the way to the bank.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Qatar Signs a gas supply deal with Poland
Yesterday Qatargas and the Poland oil and gas company secured a deal; Qatargas is to supply one million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Poland, with the first shipment set for 2014.
The twenty year long agreement is between state-owned Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A.(PGNiG)and Qatargas. The agreement was signed by the Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry, H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah who is also the Chairman of Qatargas, and Aleksander Grad, Poland’s Minister of Treasury. Faisal M Al Suwaidi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Qatargas Operating Company Limited and Micha³ Szubski, PGNiG President, were also present at the signing ceremony.
This agreement is very significant for Qatar and Poland. Being Qatar's first LNG supply deal with an eastern European country, all parties are confident the deal will strengthen the tie between the two states. Not only does it support Poland's growth and development using sustainable energy. While Qatar is further demonstrating it's commitment to diversify it's customer base.
The first shipment to Poland is set for 2014 after the LNG terminal in Swinoujscie, north-western Poland is completed. The terminal will be capable of receiving LNG using the new Q-Flex class of vessels.
Qatargas is currently under- going a major expansion programme and has commissioned its mega Train 4 this year. The company will increase the production of LNG from 10 mtpa last year to 42 mtpa by the end of the decade.
The twenty year long agreement is between state-owned Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A.(PGNiG)and Qatargas. The agreement was signed by the Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry, H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah who is also the Chairman of Qatargas, and Aleksander Grad, Poland’s Minister of Treasury. Faisal M Al Suwaidi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Qatargas Operating Company Limited and Micha³ Szubski, PGNiG President, were also present at the signing ceremony.
This agreement is very significant for Qatar and Poland. Being Qatar's first LNG supply deal with an eastern European country, all parties are confident the deal will strengthen the tie between the two states. Not only does it support Poland's growth and development using sustainable energy. While Qatar is further demonstrating it's commitment to diversify it's customer base.
The first shipment to Poland is set for 2014 after the LNG terminal in Swinoujscie, north-western Poland is completed. The terminal will be capable of receiving LNG using the new Q-Flex class of vessels.
Qatargas is currently under- going a major expansion programme and has commissioned its mega Train 4 this year. The company will increase the production of LNG from 10 mtpa last year to 42 mtpa by the end of the decade.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Doha's Automobile Safety Fair
Driving around Doha can be a nerve racking experience on the best of days. With a general lack of respect for the road rules varying from no indicator usage to erratic high speed driving of all descriptions, Doha could really do with a lot more road safety awareness.
The College of the North Atlantic Qatar (CNA-Q) is doing its’ part to promote this exact issue, with their Automobile Safety Fair. The school of Health Sciences Paramedic Programme is hosting the Fair for the second year and will be continuing to do so for years to come.
They are holding a 20 minute accident simulation scene showing an emergency Paramedic rescue. The rescue is performed by first year paramedic students enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician Basic EMTB. This provides the students with an opportunity to increase their rescue skills. The organisers from the school are targeting the high risk group of 18-25 year olds, with the message of slow down, arrive alive and wear seatbelts. Another message the school is promoting is the imperative need to buckle up children and babies in the car.
By raising awareness of the reality and tragedy which surrounds road accidents, people’s attitudes will be changed, and hopefully lives will be saved. There are numerous activities included in the fair’s line up. Students at the college and visitors will be able to watch simulations, they can also hear a panel discuss the issue of car accidents in Qatar, take a road safety test, witness a first aid demonstration by Qatar’s Red Crescent and more in the tent displays in the school’s courtyard.
While Qatar’s road safety still needs great improvement, we are grateful to the efforts of CNA-Q. If the attitudes of a few can be influenced then the potential heartache experienced by the great many people affected from road accidents will be lessened. You can never be too safe on the roads, so let’s buckle up everybody in the car, every single journey, slow down, indicate, and generally exercise good driving safety habits every day.
The College of the North Atlantic Qatar (CNA-Q) is doing its’ part to promote this exact issue, with their Automobile Safety Fair. The school of Health Sciences Paramedic Programme is hosting the Fair for the second year and will be continuing to do so for years to come.
They are holding a 20 minute accident simulation scene showing an emergency Paramedic rescue. The rescue is performed by first year paramedic students enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician Basic EMTB. This provides the students with an opportunity to increase their rescue skills. The organisers from the school are targeting the high risk group of 18-25 year olds, with the message of slow down, arrive alive and wear seatbelts. Another message the school is promoting is the imperative need to buckle up children and babies in the car.
By raising awareness of the reality and tragedy which surrounds road accidents, people’s attitudes will be changed, and hopefully lives will be saved. There are numerous activities included in the fair’s line up. Students at the college and visitors will be able to watch simulations, they can also hear a panel discuss the issue of car accidents in Qatar, take a road safety test, witness a first aid demonstration by Qatar’s Red Crescent and more in the tent displays in the school’s courtyard.
While Qatar’s road safety still needs great improvement, we are grateful to the efforts of CNA-Q. If the attitudes of a few can be influenced then the potential heartache experienced by the great many people affected from road accidents will be lessened. You can never be too safe on the roads, so let’s buckle up everybody in the car, every single journey, slow down, indicate, and generally exercise good driving safety habits every day.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Qtel Subscribers than Qatar
The mobile-phone-loving population of Qatar's prevelance to owning multiple handsets means that there are now more phones than people in Qatar.
Now Qtel is posting a record number of subscribers - 1.8 million in total, which substantially exceeds a population of about 1.5 million.
The growth is also pretty impressive considering there were 1.5 million users only in November.
The growth in numbers is thought to be due to the relaunch of two former products, but also the increasing tend to keeping seperate phones for work and personal life.
The growth in numbers is thought to be due to the relaunch of two former products, but also the increasing tend to keeping seperate phones for work and personal life.
Expansion Abroad
Qtel's aggressive growth has been going on abroad as well as at home.
The country has been battling to take over Indosat, and Indonesian mobile company, depite regulatory hurdles.
At the end of February the company was finally able to take a majority stake in the company.
Time's up?
At the end of February the company was finally able to take a majority stake in the company.
Time's up?
However, as we saw in Vodafone's coming, times may longer be quite so easy for Qtel.
The international operater switched on its network a few days ago, and will soon be starting testing with its first 100 subscribers.
Qtel has never had a competitor to deal with in its home territory before, but will now have to compete with a savvy operator practised at expanding into new territories.
What's more, many of Qtel's customers are fed up with the level of service they receive - and a recent announcement that Vodafone intends to compete on price as well as service will rachet up the pressure.
It may not be too long before Qtel's subscriber numbers are falling instead of rising...
Find telecommunications companies on Qatcom.com
The international operater switched on its network a few days ago, and will soon be starting testing with its first 100 subscribers.
Qtel has never had a competitor to deal with in its home territory before, but will now have to compete with a savvy operator practised at expanding into new territories.
What's more, many of Qtel's customers are fed up with the level of service they receive - and a recent announcement that Vodafone intends to compete on price as well as service will rachet up the pressure.
It may not be too long before Qtel's subscriber numbers are falling instead of rising...
Find telecommunications companies on Qatcom.com
Sunday, 1 March 2009
A Rough Ride for Foreign Investors
If you had invested in the DSM at its very conception, then despite the huge falls and rises the market has seen you would have made profits.
At the end of 2000 the DSM had a captilisation of just under 19 billion. At the end of 2008 the capitilisation stood at 279 billion - well down from the 347 billion of the previous year but a hefty profit nonetheless.
Unfortunately for foreign investors, the year that saw the DSM peak was the year that foreign investors were allowed into the market: 2005.
Turbulent Times
In recent days any early investors will have further causes for woe.
Shares fell over 6% on one day last week, and yesterday they continued their fall, losing 23% of their value to hit a new year five year low.
With analysts saying that trading is likely to be subdued, there is little hope of a major recovery.
Future opportunity?
Of course, the more volatile the market the more potential for profit there is.
And if we agree with Warren Buffet that we should rejoice when share prices go down and be sad when they go up, then now are happy times indeed.
The long term future of Qatar remains bright, with its vast natural resources ensuring it a steady income stream, especially when the world economy recovers.
What may put some investors off, though, is the lack of information and analysis available in English.
Until that happens, many investors may prefer to stay clear of investing in individual stocks.
Look up the DSM with Qatcom, Qatar's largest online business directory.
At the end of 2000 the DSM had a captilisation of just under 19 billion. At the end of 2008 the capitilisation stood at 279 billion - well down from the 347 billion of the previous year but a hefty profit nonetheless.
Unfortunately for foreign investors, the year that saw the DSM peak was the year that foreign investors were allowed into the market: 2005.
Turbulent Times
In recent days any early investors will have further causes for woe.
Shares fell over 6% on one day last week, and yesterday they continued their fall, losing 23% of their value to hit a new year five year low.
With analysts saying that trading is likely to be subdued, there is little hope of a major recovery.
Future opportunity?
Of course, the more volatile the market the more potential for profit there is.
And if we agree with Warren Buffet that we should rejoice when share prices go down and be sad when they go up, then now are happy times indeed.
The long term future of Qatar remains bright, with its vast natural resources ensuring it a steady income stream, especially when the world economy recovers.
What may put some investors off, though, is the lack of information and analysis available in English.
Until that happens, many investors may prefer to stay clear of investing in individual stocks.
Look up the DSM with Qatcom, Qatar's largest online business directory.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Sovereign Wealth Funds Falling in Value
Perhaps not surprisingly given the economic conditions, the sovereign wealth funds of Qatar and other states are now falling.
According to a report by Morgan Stanley sovereign wealth funds fell by between US$500 billion and US$700 billion in 2008, reducing the total value of assets under management from US$3trillion to between US$2.5 and US$2.3 trillion.
Qatar and the rest of the Gulf have not escaped the trend.
The value of Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain's reserves is estimated to have fallen by around $300 billion in 2008.
Concerns
The size of the fall is complicated by the magnitude of the rise in the value of the funds - a rise that is projected to continue.
Morgan Stanley projects that the funds will reach a value of close to ten trillion by 2012.
Concerns instead lie with the size and intentions of the funds.
Falling asset prices provide a good opportunity for sovereign funds with a long term view to acquire foreign property and companies abroad.
But these are funds run not by companies but by foreign governments, and at times they are viewed as a threat.
Groundless fears?
Gulf countries have defended these fears as groundless. According to Mohammed Al Jasser, Vice governor of the Saudi Monetary Agency:
Gulf countries claim that their motives are pure, and that they take a hands off approach to the management of the companies they buy.
However, those countries seeing their assets slowly gobbled up by foreign governments are unlikely to stop fretting in the near future.
Greater Transparency Needed
Greater transparency would not only overcome these concerns but would help sovereign wealth funds to invest more easily and help provide much needed funds to the cash strapped West, says the Carnegie Middle East Center.
In addition to opening up to governments abroad, SWFs should also be more accountable to the public and stakeholders in their own countries - especially after the significant paper losses they have incurred in recent months.
Which for some countries would raise a question not everyone seems willing to answer.
Who actually owns the SWFs - the people, or the rulers?
Find Investment Banks on Qatcom.com
According to a report by Morgan Stanley sovereign wealth funds fell by between US$500 billion and US$700 billion in 2008, reducing the total value of assets under management from US$3trillion to between US$2.5 and US$2.3 trillion.
Qatar and the rest of the Gulf have not escaped the trend.
The value of Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain's reserves is estimated to have fallen by around $300 billion in 2008.
Concerns
The size of the fall is complicated by the magnitude of the rise in the value of the funds - a rise that is projected to continue.
Morgan Stanley projects that the funds will reach a value of close to ten trillion by 2012.
Concerns instead lie with the size and intentions of the funds.
Falling asset prices provide a good opportunity for sovereign funds with a long term view to acquire foreign property and companies abroad.
But these are funds run not by companies but by foreign governments, and at times they are viewed as a threat.
Groundless fears?
Gulf countries have defended these fears as groundless. According to Mohammed Al Jasser, Vice governor of the Saudi Monetary Agency:
Sovereign wealth funds have been found guilty before being proven innocent
Gulf countries claim that their motives are pure, and that they take a hands off approach to the management of the companies they buy.
However, those countries seeing their assets slowly gobbled up by foreign governments are unlikely to stop fretting in the near future.
Greater Transparency Needed
Greater transparency would not only overcome these concerns but would help sovereign wealth funds to invest more easily and help provide much needed funds to the cash strapped West, says the Carnegie Middle East Center.
In addition to opening up to governments abroad, SWFs should also be more accountable to the public and stakeholders in their own countries - especially after the significant paper losses they have incurred in recent months.
Which for some countries would raise a question not everyone seems willing to answer.
Who actually owns the SWFs - the people, or the rulers?
Find Investment Banks on Qatcom.com
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