Hire in Qatar

Employer of record in Qatar

If a lack of speed or local expertise are among your top concerns when expanding to or employing workers in Qatar, an employer of record may be the best option for achieving your global growth objectives.

An employer of record, sometimes known as an international PEO, enables you to quickly hire and onboard workers in Qatar―often in as little as two weeks―without having to take on the cost and risk of establishing a local entity.

Learn about the hiring, employment, payroll and benefits requirements for workers in Qatar and how our employer of record service, EOR, and local HR experts can help you manage your international employment needs.

Hiring in Qatar

The Law No. (14) of 2004 (the “Labor Law”) governs most private sector employment in Qatar.

The Labor Law describes the minimum rights of employees. Any employer is free to exceed these rights but cannot override or reduce them.

Arabic is the official language in Qatar and the Labor Law is in the Arabic language, often without any official translation. By law, with a few exceptions, the Arabic version of any document will prevail.

A contract of employment does not have to be written to be enforceable in Qatar, but an employer is required to ensure that all its employees have an employment contract that meets the minimum requirements of the Labor Law and is registered with the Ministry of Labor.

Employment contracts in Qatar

As you look to hire employees in Qatar, here are some standard regulations you’ll need to know to create a compliant contract, as well as how an employer of record and PEO can provide support for your unique HR needs.

Working hours

The maximum working week in Qatar is 48 hours over six days except for the month of Ramadan when it is reduced to 36 hours per week.

Employees must get at least one rest day a week, usually Friday and many companies provide a Friday-Saturday weekend.

Employees must be provided with a break of at least an hour during the working day for prayer, rest, and meals and cannot legally work more than five consecutive hours.

Daily overtime cannot exceed two hours.

Compensation

As you consider the appropriate salary to offer new employees, keep in mind:

• Effective March 8, 2021, as part of the country’s new labor reforms, Qatar’s minimum wage increased from 750 riyals to 1,000 riyals per month. This is for workers who are provided food and accommodation. For workers who are not provided food or accommodation, the following additional amount is paid:
• Overtime is paid 25% higher than the normal rate on normal working hours. Employees who work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.—except for shift workers—receive a 50% wage increase.
• Employees who are required to work on a public holiday are entitled to 250% of their regular pay plus an additional day of rest.

As your employer of record in Qatar, we can provide you with resources and insights about employee compensation, so you are better equipped to make a competitive employment offer.

Bonuses

Employees who have been employed for more than a year at the end of their employment are entitled to an end-of-service benefit calculated based on three weeks’ basic pay per year’s work and pro rata for partial years. This benefit is payable in all circumstances unless the employee is dismissed for gross misconduct.

Probationary period

An employee can be placed on a maximum of six months probation at the start of employment.

Termination and severance

The minimum notice periods that must be adhered to are:

• one month if the employee has five years’ service or less
• two months if the employee has more than five years service

The employer can terminate the employee’s contract on three days’ notice during probation. There is no specific mention in the labor law of the employee’s termination rights during probation, so an employer is well advised to specify this in the employment contract.

Employee benefits and paid leave in Qatar

When negotiating terms of an employment contract with a candidate in Qatar, here are some of the statutory benefits and paid leave requirements to keep in mind, as well as how an employer of record can support your company’s benefits strategy.

Maternity leave

The Labor Law provides for paid maternity leave of 50 days for women who have been employed for a year at the beginning of the leave and produce a medical certificate issued by an authorized physician estimating the due date.

There is no provision for maternity leave for women who have been employed for less than a year on delivery, although often unpaid leave is provided. Leave can be taken both before and following delivery, but a woman must plan for a minimum of 35 days’ leave post-delivery. If the period of maternity leave available after delivery is less than 30 days, the employee must use annual or unpaid leave to make up the difference.

If a woman is medically unable to return to work after maternity leave, she can take up to 60 additional days of unpaid sick leave.

Vacation

All employees who have completed one year of continuous service are entitled to a minimum of three weeks paid vacation a year. This increases to a minimum of four weeks once an employee has worked for a company for more than five years. Employees are entitled to three further days on dates set by the employer, often for periods that a parent company may be closed, such as New Year’s Day or non-Islamic religious festivals.

The Labor Law specifies that salaries for holiday periods should be paid in advance of employees taking their vacations. The employer can mandate when the leave will be taken and may divide it, with the consent of the employee, into two periods.

Holidays

The following public holidays are observed in Qatar:

• Eid Al Adha (three days)
• Eid Al Fitr (three days)
• Independence Day
• Three working days to be specified by the employer

Sick leave

The first two weeks of sick leave in any year are compensated at full pay, the next four weeks at half pay and the remainder is unpaid up to a maximum of 12 weeks’ sick leave a year. Sick leave cannot be granted until the employee has completed three months of service with the employer.

The employee may be dismissed at the end of the 12th week if a physician’s report shows that the employee is unable to return to work.

Health coverage

The legal retirement age is 60 for men and 55 for women with 15 years of contributions to the fund. Early retirement is allowed at 40. The pension benefit is 5% of the insured’s average gross earnings in the five years before retirement for each year of contributions. The minimum monthly pension is 75% of the insured’s gross monthly earnings, and the mum 100%. If an employee takes early retirement, the pension is reduced by 2 to 2.5% for each year the pension is taken before the normal retirement age.

Employees contribute 5 percent of gross earnings to the combined old age, disability, and survivors’ fund, and employer's 10% of gross payroll.

Additional benefits

In addition to healthcare benefits, employees in Qatar are entitled to pension, which is funded by government tax revenues, as well as workers compensation, which is covered through mandated employer insurance.

Employer social costs will cover a large portion of employee benefits in Qatar, but we can consult with you about supplemental coverage options, such as additional pension contributions or life insurance if needed.

Updated: February 07, 2024

Employee onboarding with an employer of record in Qatar

We write and validate all local employment contracts, streamlining the onboarding process for you and your Qatar employees—all you have to do is provide relevant information and review and approve the employment agreement. As your employer of record in Qatar, we will:

• Schedule a welcome call to discuss HR and employment information for Qatar, as well as answer any questions
• Prepare a customized employment contract in English or other local language
• Share the employment contract and benefits information with the new employee for signature and review
• Gather tax and banking information from the employee to set up payroll
• Provide a local point of contact to the employee to answer any questions regarding their employment, local HR or payroll

The entire onboarding process for the employee is often completed in as little as two weeks.

Partner with Safeguard Global as your Qatar employer of record and PEO

With over a decade of service, we are the longest-serving employer of record and PEO provider in the international market. Organizations around the world rely on EOR, our employer of record solution, to expand and hire in 170+ countries around the world, quickly and compliantly.

We’ve seen just about every global employment circumstance imaginable—and with our extensive knowledge of local law and culture, we know what it takes to get employment right in Qatar. We provide written contracts in the local language, salaries in the local currency and HR support in your employees’ time zone.

Additionally, as a global payroll provider we support payroll administration—including payments, filings and other calculations— all around the world and can accommodate the payroll outsourcing needs of any size organization.

Whether you’re looking to hire as part of a strategic expansion or to meet specific talent needs, our global solutions advisors can walk you through your international hiring options so you can make the right choice for your organization. Contact us today.

Disclaimer

The information provided on or through this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Safeguard Global expressly disclaims any liability with respect to warranty or representation concerning the information contained herein, including the lost essence, interpretation, accuracy and/or completeness of the information in transit and language translation.