Change in Job Designation on Work Permit

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I have done a Bachelors in Computer Science (BSC) and the certificate has been approved and attested by Ministry of Justice. Can I use the word “Engineer” as job designation on my work permit. My company had put the designation as “maintenance technician” but I want to have this changed. Kindly provide me with the different kinds of job designations which can be mentioned on the Izz ne Amaal (work permit).

Name withheld
Answer: Except for telling you that you can’t get the designation of “computer engineer” on the work permit we can’t offer you much help. You can’t get the designation of “engineer” because just having done your Bachelors in Computer Science doesn’t qualify you to be a “computer engineer”.

To get that designation you have to do Bachelors in Computer Engineering. We accept the fact a lot of people managed to get the designation of “engineer” but that was when the concerned ministry was not aware of the various qualifications in the computer field.

Now the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor specifically asks you to produce a degree in the various fields. About the other designations available to you, this is something you have to discuss with your company. The reason for this is that every company is given a certain number of work permits for certain specific jobs. This is done on the demand of the company and the company has to fill in those categories and not create new designations every time it hires an expatriate.

For example, your company might have 10 vacancies for computer engineers (provided these people have the required degrees), 20 for computer programmers, 25 for computer technicians etc. What the company does is hire people to fill the various vacancies in this regard and it can’t cross the limit laid down by the ministry in each category.

So, once a category is filled the company tries to adjust its employees in the other categories available. This is the reason, if you look at the work permits, you will find that even managers of companies having the designation of different categories (sometimes much below their status).

But the company has no option. Even in your own company, you may find computer specialists having the designation of typist (although they get the right salary) on their work permits. So, discuss the issue with your company and ask them about the various slots available to the company plus the best slot that you can be fitted in.

This news has been read 18938 times!