Qatar: Labour Ministry launches 'Istamer' platform to employ retirees in private sector

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Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) celebrated on Sunday the launch of the "Istamer" platform, which is focused on employing Qatari retirees wishing to work in the private sector, based on its commitment to investing valuable expertise and enhancing the presence of qualified national cadres in the private sector.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Minister of Labor HE Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri, Minister of Communications and Information Technology HE Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Social Development and Family HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, President of Planning and Statistics Authority HE Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, and President of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau HE Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.

The unveiling of the "Istamer" digital platform is a key component of promoting the National Program for Job Localization in the Private Sector. Its purpose is to aid retired individuals who are keen on re-entering the workforce to find roles in private institutions aligned with their expertise.

Through this platform, retirees can set up profiles, enabling platform administrators to gauge the number of retirees keen on rejoining the workforce and assess their skill set and expertise. This will facilitate matching them with appropriate institutions or companies for potential employment.

The platform streamlines the entire recruitment process, from application submission to interviews and final job offers, all conducted online. This ensures transparency for job applicants regarding available roles in the private sector, while also offering businesses a broader pool of potential candidates during the hiring phase.

Director of Qualifying and Skill Development at the MoL Abdulrahman Telfat highlighted that the "Istamer" platform is the first of its kind in the State of Qatar as it supports the feature of artificial intelligence. This comes in line with the Ministry's desire to harness the information technology infrastructure to achieve the objectives of the Localization program in the private sector.

During the launch event, Telfat highlighted that since outlining its roles in 2021, MoL has been dedicated to developing efficient strategies to boost the localization of employment within the private sector. The objective is also to enhance training for national talents to elevate their productivity.

He emphasized that retirees are a significant asset to the national workforce in the private sector. As a result, the Ministry of Labor's departments have been focused on creating an all-encompassing digital system to elevate the hiring rates of retirees in private sector organizations.

He pointed out that the platform is concerned with employing retired citizens voluntarily in private sector institutions and establishments, pointing out that retirees have accumulated experience that must be used within the framework of enhancing the presence of national cadres in private sector institutions.

Telfat stressed that the Istamer platform will start receiving applications from retirees wishing to return to the labor market as of today, September 24, to limit their numbers and then determine the sectors in which they will be employed, explaining that the MoL invites retirees wishing to work to enter their data through the platform. He also called on private sector companies and institutions to contribute to the success of the platform and provide appropriate job opportunities for retirees within their expertise, thus contributing to activating the role of retirees in economic development.

Moreover, he highlighted that the platform would not affect job prospects for job seekers. This is because it will operate in partnership with 300 entities, including government corporations, energy sector businesses, major companies, and public benefit private institutions.

The platform will provide job opportunities specifically for retirees in various private sectors, including private education, private healthcare, hospitality and hotel industry, and private security.

Telfat stressed that a retired citizen from civil or military authorities has the right to work in the private sector without his pension being affected, in accordance with the Social Insurance Law No. 1 of 2022 and the Military Retirement Law No. 2 of 2022.

In tandem with the introduction of the Istamer platform, the MoL has set up a dedicated hotline at 40488061 and an email, NHRE-HotlineMOL.gov.qa, to address inquiries and questions related to the platform.

The inception of the "Istamer" digital platform is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the MoL, relevant agencies, and the Digital Transformation Unit. Their shared goal is to foster a Qatari workforce poised for outstanding performance, aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030.