Guides / Work & jobs / Changing jobs
Changing the profession on your work permit and QID
How to get the job title on your Qatar work permit and QID changed while staying with the same employer: who applies, the free Ministry of Labour e-service, the certificates and attestation you may need, and how the new title affects family sponsorship and other plans.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who applies
- Your employer, online (you cannot apply alone)
- Fee
- No MoL fee for the amendment itself
- Where
- Ministry of Labour e-services, then updated at MOI
- Time
- No published time; certificate attestation is usually the slow part
The job title printed on your work permit and Qatar ID (QID, your residence card) is the profession your employer registered with the Ministry of Labour (MoL). It often does not match the work you actually do, especially after a promotion or if you were hired under a general title. The title matters: it is checked when you sponsor your family, for some driving licences, and for regulated jobs such as engineering and healthcare. If you are staying with the same employer, the fix is a profession amendment that your employer requests online through the MoL e-service, which then updates your record at the Ministry of Interior (MOI). This guide walks through the order: decide the right title, prepare and attest your certificates, check the basics, let your employer apply, approve the new contract and confirm the change on your QID. If you are moving to a new employer, see the change-job guide instead.
Before you start
- A valid work-based residence permit (QID) with your current employer; this service is for people whose residence is for work
- The exact new job title you and your employer have agreed, and an updated offer or job description that supports it
- Your degree or diploma certificate, attested by the Qatar embassy in the issuing country and by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), if the new title is professional or specialised
- Your transcript and a university letter confirming full-time study, in case the title needs them (this has been required for titles such as general supervisor)
- Any professional registration the title requires, such as Ministry of Municipality engineer registration or a healthcare licence from the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP)
- A registered national address and a Qatari mobile number in your own name, linked to your QID
- A working login for the National Authentication System (Tawtheeq), which you use to approve your new contract on the MoL portal
- Clear scans of your passport and QID for your employer's PRO (the staff member who handles government paperwork)
Step by step
Check what your QID says now
Open your digital QID in the Metrash app or look at your physical card and note the job title exactly as written. Compare it with the work you do and with what you need it for: sponsoring family, a driving licence, a professional licence or simply an accurate record. Some titles are broad labour or service categories, while others are recognised as technical, specialised or professional. Knowing exactly what is wrong helps you ask your employer for the right change.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Agree the change with your employer
Only the employer can request a profession amendment, through its authorised signatory on the MoL e-services portal. Speak to HR or the company PRO, explain why you need the change, and ask them to confirm the new title in writing. The amendment keeps you with the same employer; if you want a new job with a different company, the new employer's contract sets your title instead and the change-job route applies. Many employers agree when the change reflects a real promotion, but they are not obliged to request one.
Read guide: Changing jobs in Qatar without an NOC →Pick a title you can support
MoL checks that the new title matches your qualifications, so choose one you can prove. Professional, supervisory and specialist titles usually need a university degree or diploma in a related field, while general titles may not. If your goal is family sponsorship, private-sector rules require a technical or specialised, non-labour profession, plus the salary threshold, so a title change alone may not be enough. Ask your PRO to check the official occupation list for the exact wording before anything is submitted.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →Attest your certificates early
If the new title depends on a degree, the certificate normally has to be attested: first by the authorities and the Qatar embassy in the country that issued it, then by MOFA in Qatar. For some titles, such as general supervisor and project coordinator, employers have reported that MoL also asks for the transcript and a university letter confirming at least three years of full-time study. This chain can take several weeks, especially from abroad, so start it before your employer applies. The degree-attestation guide explains each stamp and fee.
Read guide: Attesting your degree for Qatar: the full chain →Get any equivalency or licence the title needs
Some titles are regulated by their own bodies. Engineering titles need enrolment in the Ministry of Municipality's Register of Engineers (often called UPDA), and healthcare titles need a DHP licence from the Ministry of Public Health. Some employers or roles also ask for a Ministry of Education equivalency of the degree. In addition, Law No. 9 of 2026 lets MoL require a training and exam certificate for designated vocational trades, with the list to be published on the MoL website, so check whether your new trade is on it.
Read guide: Engineer registration in Qatar: the Ministry of Municipality licence (UPDA) →Check the basics that block requests
MoL e-services check several things automatically. Your national address must be registered, the mobile number entered must be in your name and linked to your QID, your work permit must be valid, and the company must not be under a ban with MoL. If any of these fail, the request may stop before anyone reviews it. Fix them first: the national address takes a few minutes in Metrash or at a service centre.
Read guide: National address in Qatar: registering and updating it →Employer submits the amendment request
The employer's authorised signatory logs in to the MoL e-services portal with the company smart card and submits a request to amend the profession on your work permit. They enter the new title and the new contract details, such as basic salary and allowances, and attach your certificates if the profession is specialised. The Ministry does not charge a fee for this amendment, according to MoL information reported in 2025. Ask your PRO for the request number so you can follow up.
Review and approve your new contract
Because the job title is part of your employment contract, the change goes through contract attestation, and you are asked to approve the contract yourself on the MoL workers' portal using your national authentication login. Read it carefully in a language you understand: the title, basic salary, allowances, working hours and contract dates. Do not approve a contract that cuts your pay or rights unless you have agreed to that. Once approved, the attested contract can be downloaded from the portal.
Wait for approval and the MOI update
MoL reviews the request and, once it is approved, sends the new profession to the Ministry of Interior so your residence record is updated. There is no official processing time; requests with complete, attested documents tend to move faster, while missing certificates are a common reason for rejection or requests for more documents. Your employer can track the status on the portal. If it is rejected, ask the PRO for the stated reason, fix it and have them reapply.
Confirm the change on your QID
After MOI updates your record, check the occupation on your digital QID in Metrash or the Qatar Digital Identity app. Ask your PRO whether a new plastic card will be printed now or at your next renewal, and whether MOI charges for it; this is handled on the MOI side, not by MoL. Keep a copy of the attested contract. Then update the job title with your bank, health insurer and anyone processing an application for you.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Use the new title for your plans
With the new title in place, you can move on to what you needed it for. For family residence, you still need the salary threshold: at least QAR 10,000 a month, or QAR 6,000 with employer-provided family housing written into the contract. Some job titles cannot hold a light vehicle licence on company sponsorship, so check eligibility with a driving school before paying. Remember that a professional title brings obligations too, such as keeping an engineering registration or healthcare licence valid.
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →
What it costs
| MoL profession amendment on the work permit | Free (no MoL fee, as reported in 2025) |
| MoL attestation of employment contracts and documents (Labour Decision No. 32 of 2025) | QAR 20 (normally paid by the employer) |
| MOFA attestation of an academic certificate in Qatar, each | QAR 100 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Asking the employer for a title you cannot prove with attested certificates, which leads to rejection
- Leaving degree attestation until after the request is filed; the attestation chain is usually the slowest part
- Assuming a profession change alone qualifies you for family residence; the salary threshold still applies
- Approving the new contract on the portal without checking that salary and allowances stayed the same
- Keeping an engineering or healthcare title on your QID when you do not hold the required registration or licence
- Using the profession amendment when you are actually moving to a new employer; that is a change of employer, not an amendment
- Paying an agent who promises a guaranteed title change; only your employer can apply, and MoL decides
Questions people ask
Can I change the profession on my QID myself?
No. The amendment is requested by your employer through its authorised signatory on the Ministry of Labour e-services portal. Your part is to supply attested certificates and approve the new contract on the workers' portal. If your employer refuses, the alternative is a new job whose contract carries the title you want.
How much does it cost to change my profession?
The MoL amendment itself has no fee, according to Ministry information reported in April 2025. Costs come from the paperwork around it: attesting your degree (for example QAR 100 per certificate at MOFA, plus home-country and embassy fees) and contract attestation, which employers normally pay. Ask your employer which costs, if any, they expect you to cover.
My QID says labourer but I work in an office. Can I sponsor my family after the change?
Possibly. Private-sector employees need a technical or specialised, non-labour profession on their QID and a salary of at least QAR 10,000 a month, or QAR 6,000 with employer-provided family housing in the contract. The title change fixes only the first part. If your salary is below the threshold, the application can still be refused.
Do I need an attested degree to change my profession?
For most professional, supervisory and specialist titles, yes, because MoL checks that your qualification fits the title. For some titles, such as general supervisor, employers have reported that the transcript and a university letter are also requested. General and trade titles may not need a degree, but a training and exam certificate may be required for designated trades under Law No. 9 of 2026.
Can I change my profession and my employer at the same time?
Yes, but that is a change of employer rather than an amendment. The new employer enters the job title in your new contract during the MoL change-of-employer process, and it must be a title you qualify for. See the change-job guide for notice periods and steps.
My QID says engineer but I do not work as one. Do I need UPDA registration?
The Ministry of Municipality expects anyone whose QID shows an engineering title to be registered, and missing registration can cause problems at permit renewal or when changing jobs. If you no longer work as an engineer, ask your employer to amend your profession to one that matches your actual work.
Can my employer change my profession without my agreement?
The new title goes into an employment contract that you must approve on the MoL workers' portal before it is attested, so you will see the change before it takes effect. If you are pressured into a title with lower pay or worse terms, you can reject the contract and contact MoL. The labour-complaint guide explains how.
Will my family's residence permits be affected if my profession changes?
Existing permits are not cancelled just because your title changes. However, the profession and salary rules apply when you sponsor new family members, and your eligibility may be checked again when their permits are renewed. Avoid moving to a labour category title if you sponsor or plan to sponsor family.
Official sources
- Al Sharq: conditions for amending the profession on a work permit, no fee (Apr 2025, Arabic) ↗
- Qatar Tribune: MoL launches e-service for amending occupations on work permits (Sep 2023) ↗
- Al Sharq: three Ministry of Labour services residents should know (Jul 2025, Arabic) ↗
- The Peninsula: revised Ministry of Labour fees, Decision No. 32 of 2025 ↗
- Crowell: key amendments in Labour Law No. 9 of 2026 (vocational certification) ↗
- BAL: degree documents required for general supervisor work permits ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.