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With the deepening of globalization, when enterprises expand their business in multiple countries, cross-border labor compliance has become one of the most complex and severe challenges. To help enterprises systematically address this issue, we have collaborated with top labor lawyers from over 50 major jurisdictions worldwide (all recommended by Chambers, The Legal 500, or equivalent institutions) to jointly compile a Chinese-English labor & employment compliance guide exceeding 1 million words, and we will continuously update relevant key points.

This article publishes the key points of labor & employment compliance by September 2025 in Qatar.

01 Overview of the Labor Law System

1.Legal System

In Qatar, there are two parallel legal systems relating to employment: the mainland legal system of the State of Qatar (“Mainland”) and the Qatar Financial Centre (“QFC”) regulatory system. The mainland legal system is the national legal framework, applicable across the country and based on civil law principles, with legislation issued by the State of Qatar. In contrast, the QFC operates under its own largely independent legal system, grounded in common law.

2.Resources and Agencies

The primary statute applicable in the Mainland is Labour Law, as amended from time to time. On the other hand, the employment matters under the QFC are governed by the QFC Employment Regulations.

02 Employment Qualifications and Classification

1.Employment Age

Generally, workers should be employed after they have attained the age of eighteen. Before that, such workers are considered juveniles. However, any juvenile may be employed with the prior approval of their guardian and a special permit from the Ministry.

The retirement age of the employees is not stated in the Labour Law or the QFC Employment Regulations.

2.Qualifications for Foreign Employers

Foreign companies are not permitted to directly hire employees in Qatar without first establishing a legal presence and having a registered office in Qatar. Such registration is only possible if the employer has a valid legal presence in Qatar or the QFC.

3.Classification of Employment

Mainland: Under the Labour Law, all employment relationships are structured in the form of an employer-employee relationship set out in a contract. Such employment contracts can be of different types, this incudes:

? Fixed-term contracts

? Temporary contracts

? Part-time contracts

Similarly, the QFC Employment Regulations do not recognise independent contractor arrangements, labour dispatch, or employer of record structures as employment relationships.

4.Foreign Workers

Mainland: There is no general statutory quota in the Labour Law prescribing a fixed ratio between Qatari and foreign workers in the private sector.

The QFC Employment Regulations provides that an employer may confer upon employees who are of Qatari nationality benefits, including, but not limited to, an increased salary, allowances, pension contribution and other entitlements that may be more than the benefits conferred upon employees who are not of Qatari nationality.

03 Recruitment and Employment Contracts

1.Background Examination

There are generally no prohibitions under Qatari law against conducting background checks on applicants or employees, whether by the employer directly or through a third-party vendor. However, all checks must comply with “Personal Data Privacy Protection Law”. In such cases, express consent of the individual is required, particularly for sensitive personal data, such as health or criminal history.

The same process applies to QFC entities, except that the QFC entities need to comply with their own set of data protection regulations.

2.Contract Types

Mainland: Most commonly, the employment contracts are for an indefinite period of time under the Labour Law. However, there are other contracts that the Labour Law recognises, such as a fixed-term employment contract, which may not exceed five years in duration.

QFC: Pursuant to Article 17 of the Employment Regulations, the Employer shall give each Employee a written employment contract. Further, employment contracts may be for a fixed term or for an unlimited duration.

3.Probationary Period

Under both the Labour Law and the QFC Employment Regulations, an employer may include a probation period of up to six months from the employee’s start date. Only one probation period is permitted during such employment. During this time, the employer may terminate the employment if, in the employer’s opinion, the employee is unable to perform their role. In such cases, the employer must give at least one month’s prior written notice, or at least two weeks’ notice, for QFC employees.

04 Working Standards

1.Remuneration

The employee is entitled to the wage set out in the employment contract. The minimum wage is currently set at one thousand Qatari Riyals per month.

Under the QFC regime, the laws with respect to payment of salaries are straightforward, in that salaries can be paid in any currency as agreed between the employer and employee. The employer shall pay the wages at least every month.

2.Statutory Benefits and Social Security

For Qatari nationals in the private sector, under the Social Insurance Law, an employee’s contribution shall be calculated based on the total salary (in addition to the social or housing allowances), without exceeding one hundred thousand Qatari Riyals. Contributions shall be paid at a rate of 21%.

3.Working Hours

The maximum working hours shall be forty-eight hours per week, except Ramadan, where the working hours shall be thirty-six hours per week. Under the QFC Employment Regulations, the standard maximum working hours are forty-eight hours per week.

4.Rest and Leave

An employee who has completed one continuous year of service with the employer shall be entitled to annual leave for not less than three weeks. If an employee has continuously served for more than five years, that employee shall be entitled to four weeks of annual leave.

Under the QFC Employment Regulations, a full-time employee is entitled to at least 20 working days of paid annual leave each year, accruing pro rata for employees who have worked at least three months. 

05 Occupational Health and Special Protection

1.Occupational Health and Security

Mainland: Chapter 10 of the Labour Law deals with safety, occupational health, and social care, specifically setting out the statutory requirements on the employer concerning the health and safety of the workers in the workplace.

The QFC Employment Regulations include statutory obligations with respect to the health, safety, and welfare of employees, albeit not as detailed as those under the Labour Law.

2.Special Protection

A juvenile shall not be employed between sunset and sunrise, on the days of rest, during the official holidays, or for more than the normal working hours, and the juvenile shall not be retained in the workplace for more than seven continuous hours. If a juvenile is a school going Qatari, then prior approval shall be sought from the Ministry of Education.

06 Personal Information and Privacy

1.General Rules

Mainland: The statutory requirements regarding personal information and privacy are set out in PDPPL. It is regulated and enforced by the National Cyber Security Agency (“NCSA”).

Under the QFC regime, the QFC Data Protection Regulations 2021 (“Data Protection Regulations”) regulate the use and processing of personal data.

2.Transnational Transfer

The transfer of personal data to outside Qatar is permissible whenever it is necessary to transfer; however, an adequate protection level and security for such data must be maintained. The employers must notify the employees that they intend to transfer their personal data. 

07 Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment

1.General Rules

There are no provisions in the Labour Law that specifically address discrimination (save for women shall be paid equally) or harassment directly.

Conversely, under Article 15 of the QFC Employment Regulations, discrimination means a distinction based on personal characteristics relating to sex, marital status, race, nationality or religion, mental or physical disability that has the effect of imposing burdens, obligations or disadvantages on a person not imposed upon other persons or that withholds or limits access to opportunities, benefits and advantages available to other persons.

2.Protective Characteristics

Anti-discrimination and harassment laws in Qatar generally protect individuals from unfair treatment based on sex, race, language, or religion. Under the QFC regime, these protections are extended also to cover mental or physical disability.

08 Internal Policies

1.Applicability

The employer is free to issue internal policies, including policies of a parent company outside of Qatar, to manage workers, or any category of workers, so long as it does not contradict the Labour Law and its implementing decisions. The position is similar for entities operating in the QFC.

2.Validity

In Qatar, company policies generally become valid as soon as they are approved internally, such as by the board of directors, as long as they follow the company’s constitutive documents and applicable laws (especially for regulated entities).

Article 15 of the QFC Employment Regulations obligates the employer to have policies in place regarding the prohibition on discrimination.

3.Whistleblowing

The Labour Law does not explicitly address whistleblowing, although the Ministry has launched a platform called ‘Unified Platform for Complaints and Whistleblowers’ under which employees can file a complaint or report a violation against entities that are subject to the Labour Law. Article 16 of the QFC Employment Regulations protects whistleblowers as well.

09 Transactions

1.Employment Relationship

Under the Labour Law, if a company is being acquired or merged with another entity, the employment contract does not terminate as a result. The same principles regarding an asset transfer would be applicable for the QFC entities.

2.Compensation

There is no compensation due to such a merger, acquisition or asset transfer under the applicable laws in mainland Qatar and the QFC regime. Further, if there is no termination, then the contract will continue and the obligations will be assigned to the buyer through novation, subject to the requisite approvals. 

10 Termination of Employment

1.Termination Grounds

An employer may terminate the employment contract within the probation period if the worker is unable to perform the work, provided that the employer must notify the worker at least one month in advance of the termination date. Under the QFC Employment Regulations, the rights of the employer regarding termination during probation are identical to the Labour Law.

2.Termination Procedure

The Labour Law does not expressly provide for ‘payment in lieu of notice’ as an option, but this could be agreed between the parties contractually.

Article 23(4) of the QFC Employment Regulations also expressly specifies that the law does not restrict the employer and employee from agreeing on a longer or shorter notice period, or from accepting a payment in lieu of notice.

3.Termination Protection

Employees are protected from dismissal in certain circumstances. Specifically, an employee may not be terminated due to marriage, taking maternity leave or because of a work-related injury. These protections ensure that employees are not penalised for exercising their statutory rights or for circumstances beyond their control.

4.Severance and Compensation

Under the Labour Law, employees are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity upon termination of employment as set out in Article 54. This entitlement arises after one year of continuous service and must amount to not less than three weeks’ basic wage for each year of service.

Under the QFC Employment Regulations, employers are required by Article 25 to settle all wages, allowances, and other contractual entitlements within thirty days of termination.

5.Wrongful Termination

No employee may be dismissed, or otherwise penalised, without a proper investigation, the imposition of a proportionate sanction, and the opportunity for the employee to present a defence. It also requires that disciplinary measures, including dismissal, be imposed within thirty days of the employer’s knowledge of the violation.

6.Mass termination and Layoffs

Terminating the employment contract for reasons of an economic or structural nature or other reasons not related to the employment contract, the employer shall, notify the Ministry fifteen days prior from the date of termination, and shall submit a written statement of the reasons for termination, the number of workers likely to be affected by the termination, their categories, the period during which the termination is intended to be implemented, and other relevant information requested by the Ministry.

There are no special provisions in the QFC Employment Regulations that deal with mass terminations and lay-offs. No special procedural requirements.

11 Confidentiality, Non-Compete, and Non-Solicitation

1.Confidentiality

Article 42 of the Labour Law requires employees, during the term of employment, to safeguard the employer’s secrets and not disclose confidential information relating to work, even after the contract has ended.

Under the QFC Employment Regulations, confidentiality is treated as a core obligation of the employee. Article 19 expressly requires employees not to disclose any confidential information of the employer, except where such disclosure is consistent with the terms of their employment or permitted under the Regulations.

2.Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation

Article 43 of the Labour Law permits the inclusion of non-compete obligations in employment contracts where the nature of the work enables the employee to gain knowledge of the employer’s clients or trade secrets. The restriction must not exceed one year from the termination of employment.

Article 20 of the QFC Employment Regulations permits the inclusion of restrictive covenants in employment contracts, including non-compete and non-solicitation provisions.

12 Work Representation and Trade Unions

1.Work Representation

QFC Employment Regulations contain no framework for workplace committees or representation. In contrast, under the Labour Law, Articles 116 to 123 provide for the formation of joint committees in larger establishments. However, representation under these provisions is limited exclusively to Qatari nationals, as only Qatari employees are eligible to be elected as worker representatives.

2.Trade Unions

Under the Labour Law, Articles 124 to 127 permit the establishment of trade unions. However, membership and leadership of such unions is restricted exclusively to Qatari nationals. There are no such provisions under the QFC Employment Regulations.

13 Dispute Resolution

1.Procedures & Enforcement

In mainland, such disputes do not go through the ordinary civil courts, at the first stage, but are handled by a specialised judicial body, the Committee for the Settlement of Labour Disputes.

Within the QFC, employment disputes are governed by a specialised internal system rather than the State labour dispute committees.

2.Waiver & Enforcement

Both under the Labour Law and the QFC Employment Regulations, employee rights are mandatory minimum standards, and any agreement waiving or reducing the rights therein is void.

14 Others

1.Latest Development & Trends

Mainland: In April 2025, Law No. 12 of 2024 entered into force, requiring private-sector employers to prioritise the hiring and training of Qatari nationals and children of Qatari mothers. In practice, this means that each employer must employ at least one Qatari national.

2.Cultural and Religious Considerations

Cultural and religious considerations are expressly recognised in employment standards. 

* To avoid ambiguity, this article should not be regarded as legal advice.

Authors

Salman Mahmood is a Partner at Sultan Al-Abdulla and has been in the legal profession since 1996. Salman focusing on energy, infrastructure, syndicated finance, debt restructurings, capital markets and TMT. He assists a diverse range of corporate and institutional clients in projects, dispute management and negotiations, public tenders and awards, taxation and special economic zones.

Rameez Pesnani is an associate at  Sultan Al-Abdulla and has been in the legal profession since 2018. His practice focuses on corporate and commercial advisory work, including drafting share purchase agreements, shareholder agreements, joint ventures, PPAs, IAs, and other project and transactional documents.

Shadw Ibrahim is a Legal Researcher at Sultan Al-Abdulla. She focuses on litigation, working on matters across the Firm’s practice areas. 

Translator

Jin Dongjie, Master of Laws, associate at Anli Partners. Area of expertise: Labor Law, ESG Compliance, Dispute Resolution.