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Written Agreements

Qatar's Labor Code requires an employment contract to be made in writing, authenticated by the Labor Department, and produced in three copies. The employee and employer are both provided with one copy each, and one copy is submitted to the Labor Department. The contract must contain the following information:

• Name of the employer and place of work
• Name, qualifications, nationality, profession, and residence of the worker, as well as proof necessary for identification
• Date of conclusion of the contract
• Nature and type of the work and place of contracting
• Date of commencement of the work
• Period of the contract if the contract is of a definite duration
• Agreed wage as well as the method and date of payment.

Oral Agreements

Qatar's Labor Code states that, in the absence of a written employment contract, an employee may prove the working relationship and the rights arising therefrom by all admissible means of evidence.

The Labor Code does not contain any additional specific guidance on the use of oral contracts.

Implied Agreements

Qatar's Labor Code states that, in the absence of a written employment contract, an employee may prove the working relationship and the rights arising therefrom by all admissible means of evidence. Qatari civil law enforces quasi-contracts.

Qatar's Labor Law stipulates that the maximum ordinary working hours are 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day. During Ramadan, working hours are reduced to 36 hours per week and 6 hours per day. The time spent by employees commuting to and from the workplace and their residence is not considered a part of the working hours.

Any work done in excess of the maximum ordinary working hours is considered overtime. The working hours for employees under 18 years of age are set at 36 hours per week or 6 hours per day.

• Three working days for Eid-el- Fitr - Dates subject to change every year
• Three working days for Eid-el-Adha - Dates subject to change every year
• One Day for Independence Day - December 18
• Three working days decided by the employer

Qatar's Labor Code states that the employment contract can include a clause for probation, provided the duration of probation does not exceed six months from the date of commencement of work. The employee cannot be subject to more than one probationary period for the same employer. Employers may terminate the employment contract before the probationary period's expiration if the employee fails to carry out their duties as per the employment contract.

Notice Period

Per Qatar's Labor Code, an employment relationship for an indefinite term can be terminated by either the employee or the employer without any reason by providing a written notice. If the employee's service period is two years or less, the notice period must be at least one month. If the service period is more than two years, the notice period must be at least two months.

For fixed-term contracts, the duration of the notice period is as follows:

• If the employee has worked for less than 1 year, the notice period is at least 1 week
• If the employee has worked for more than 1 year but less than 5 years, the notice period is at least 2 weeks
• If the employee has worked for more than 5 years, the notice period is at least 1 month

The employer must pay the employee their full wage during the notice period if they perform their work in the usual manner during the notice period.

Severance Benefits

Qatari labor law requires employers to pay severance benefits to employees upon the termination of their service. The benefits must be equal to at least three weeks’ wages for every year of employment. Employees are entitled to severance benefits for the fractions of the year in proportion to the duration of employment. To become eligible for severance benefits, employees must have completed one year of service with the employer. If an employee is dismissed due to an act of gross misconduct, they are not eligible for severance benefits.

The last basic wage will be used as the basis for the calculation of the severance.

Minimum Wage

Effective March 2021, Qatar's Law No. 17 of 2020 sets the minimum wage for all private-sector workers, including domestic workers, at QAR 1,000 (Qatari riyals) per month. QAR 500 per month is allocated by the employer for accommodation expenses. Also, QAR 300 per month is allocated for food unless the employer already provides adequate food or accommodation for the employee or domestic worker. These are both in addition to the QAR 1,000 per month.

Workers whose wages are calculated annually or monthly are paid at least once a month. For all others, wages are paid at least every two weeks. In case of contract termination, the employer must pay the employee's wages by the end of the day after the contract's termination. If the employee leaves without notice, the employer must pay all wages within 7 days.

Overtime, Holiday & Vacation Pay

Employees may work more than the maximum ordinary working hours, provided that the actual working hours per day do not exceed 10 hours unless work continuation is necessary to prevent gross loss, a dangerous accident, or mitigation of the consequences of the said loss or accident. Employers must pay employees for the additional working hours at a rate of at least 125% of the regular hourly wage.

Except for shift workers, employees who work between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM must be paid 150% of their regular hourly wage. If the work circumstances require an employee to work on a public holiday or weekly day of rest, they must receive another paid day off or be compensated with 150% of their regular daily wage.

The employee's remuneration during annual leave is their basic wage at the commencement of leave. If the employee works on a piecework basis, the remuneration shall be based on the employee's average remuneration for the three months preceding the commencement of annual leave.

Visas

Qatar's visa categories include the following:

• Tourist - issued to those who come to Qatar for tourism purposes
• Business - issued to those who are in Qatar for business or work temporarily, for 72 hours or up to 3 months
• Investor - issued to persons who wish to invest in Qatar without employing people
• GCC resident visit - issued to residents of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, valid for 1 month and can be extended another 3 months
• Family visit or residence - issued to family members of foreign nationals working in Qatar who are visiting for a short term for up to 6 months for immediate family members
• Transit - issued to persons who are traveling to another destination via Qatar, valid for up to 24 hours
• Newborn - issued to babies who are less than 3 months old when entering Qatar with their parents
• Education residence - issued free of charge to persons who come to Qatar to study at an approved educational institution
• Real estate - issued to persons who own real estate property in Qatar
• Return - issued to resident foreign nationals who have stayed out of Qatar for more than 6 months
• Official - issued to persons who work in government ministries and approved establishments, valid for 1 month and can be extended for up to 6 months

While citizens of several countries (such as the U.S., Canada, and Britain) may obtain a visa upon arrival to Qatar, others must obtain a visa beforehand.

Work Permits

Foreign nationals who obtain employment in Qatar are required to apply for a work permit.

The employer is responsible for the following:

• Application for the foreign employee's residence permit
• Arrangement for a temporary visa that is converted into a residence permit
• Arrangement for the foreign national to complete the formalities within 30 days of their arrival

The permit contains the person's name, photo, signature, and personal information. It is valid for five years. The person must leave Qatar within 90 days after the expiration of the permit or must renew it.