Defecting from EK to QR
 

Are there any Canadian travellers out there thinking about giving up Emirates and moving to Qatar due to the visa issue? I usually make one big trip per year, using Dubai as a hopping off/ hopping on point, with a day or two on each stop, but I worry that will be difficult now.

Would Doha work as a transit stop? Any thoughts?

Can Canadians get visa on arrival in Qatar? IIRC they were making some changes in that area.

This is what I found on the Qatar tourism website--

Visa requirements
A simple 30-day visa covering both business and leisure travel is available to passport holders from 33 countries*, including the UK and Ireland, most of continental Europe, the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and selected Asian nations.

Visas cost QR 105 (2009) and are conveniently issued upon arrival at Doha International Airport.

Many visas can now be processed online at the Ministry of Interior’s website (www.moi.gov.qa). The Ministry will only accept credit cards as payment.

*Visas on Arrival
Andorra; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brunei; ***Canada***; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hong Kong; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Malaysia; Monaco; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Portugal; San Marino; Singapore; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; UK (with the right of abode); USA; Vatican City

It used to be quite simple to get visa on arrival, give passport, credit card and within a minute you'd have your visa at the airport. I think they are changing this process.
I wouldn't rely too much on the tourism site as the sites are not always kept up to date. Would be best to double check with someone who has gone recently. I'll be going in 2 weeks and can update.