Hire and pay employees in
Qatar, hassle-free

In Qatar, the minimum monthly wage is divided in three categories:

• Basic salary – QAR 1,000/- per month
• Food Allowance – QAR 300/- per month
• Housing Allowance – QAR 500/- month

There is no income tax in Qatar.

These costs are provided as estimates and are intended solely for general informational purposes. To fully comprehend all associated costs and fees related to the terms of any employment agreement for this country, please contact our Sales team for a quote.

Overtime payment is mandatory. Hours outside of standard work hours are considered overtime. For additional hours, employees are paid:

• 125% of the hourly rate
• 150% of the hourly rate for public holidays 

There is no paternity leave currently required by law.

Employees are entitled to paid sick leave for up to 6 weeks. This leave is paid at different rates and by different payers depending upon length:

Terminations in Qatar can be complex. There is no at-will termination in Qatar for employers outside the probation period and termination must be done for just cause.

Compliant terminations include:

• Voluntarily by the employee
• By mutual agreement
• Unilaterally by the employer based on:
  • probation period
  • objective grounds
  • disciplinary dismissal
  • performance due to unsuitability for the job
• By expiration of the contract

The minimum notice period is 30 days and will be increased according to the length of the employment.

• 30 days if the length of service is less than 5 years
• 60 days if the length of service is greater than 5 years

During the probation period, the notice is 3 days

In Qatar, all employees who are terminated are entitled to severance pay. Severance pay is based on years of service as follows: 

• 3 weeks of salary per year of service up to 5 years of service
• 4 weeks of salary per year of service up to 10 years of service
• 5 weeks of salary per year of service for greater than 10 years of service 

Both full-time and part-time employees are entitled to 16 working days of paid time off (PTO) a year. PTO accrues monthly at 1.33 days per month. Employees are eligible for annual leave after 12 months of work. 

Qatar celebrates 4 national holidays over 8 days.

National public holidays include:

• National Sports Day - 1 day
• Eid Al Adha - 3 days
• Eid Al Fitr - 3 days
• National Day - 1 day

The onboarding timeline will depend if the employee requires a visa and the type applied: 

• Qatari Nationals and GSC: 15-20 business days after MSA signature and deposit payment
• Visa in-country (Visa transfer, with NOC) 20 business days after MSA signature and deposit payment
• Visa out of country: 60-120 business days after MSA signature and deposit payment

Contracts are in English. They must be in writing and signed by both parties.

A contract must include:

• name
• start date
• length of the employment
• job description
• termination conditions