Working time, rest, and overtime

The standard schedule is eight hours a day and 48 hours a week, usually with Friday as the paid weekly rest day. Muslim workers have reduced statutory hours during Ramadan. Daytime overtime is paid at not less than the basic rate plus 25%, night overtime at not less than the basic rate plus 50%, and work on a weekly rest day or public holiday is generally compensated at 150% of basic wage or with substitute rest where the law permits.

Annual, sick, and maternity leave

After one year of continuous service, annual leave is at least three weeks on full pay. After five years of service, the entitlement rises to at least four weeks. Workers with at least six months but less than one year of service accrue pro-rated annual leave, and unused statutory leave should be paid out on termination.

After three months of service, sick leave is generally two weeks on full pay followed by four weeks on half pay, then unpaid leave for the balance of the statutory period. Female employees who complete one year of service are entitled to 50 days of maternity leave on full pay, provided at least 35 days are taken after delivery, and they receive paid nursing time during the first year after childbirth.

Probation and notice

Probation can be agreed for up to six months. If the employer decides during probation that the worker is unsuitable, the contract may be ended with at least three days of notice. Outside probation, Article 49 ties notice to pay cycle and service length: monthly or annually paid workers need at least one month's notice where service is five years or less and two months after five years, while other workers move between one week, two weeks, and one month depending on tenure.

Dismissal and end-of-service

Summary dismissal is limited to the serious misconduct cases listed in the Labour Law. Outside those cases, employers should document the lawful reason for termination and close out salary, leave, and immigration files in parallel. For non-Qatari workers who complete at least one year of service, end-of-service gratuity must be at least three weeks of basic wage for each completed year unless a better contractual arrangement applies. Qatari nationals are generally dealt with through the pension framework instead of gratuity.

Final settlement

Article 72 generally requires wages and other amounts due on termination to be paid before the end of the working day after termination, except where the worker leaves without giving the notice required by Article 49. Employers should therefore prepare final salary, accrued leave pay, repatriation costs where applicable, and end-of-service gratuity as one closeout package rather than waiting for the next payroll cycle.

Contractor misclassification

A Qatar services agreement does not remove employment risk if the individual is managed like staff, works fixed employer-directed hours, and operates as part of the internal business. If the relationship looks like employment in practice, labour-law exposure follows.

Safer contractor controls

• Use milestone-based or deliverable-based fees instead of salary-style monthly pay where the arrangement is genuinely independent.
• Avoid full operational integration, attendance control, and line-management structures unless the individual is hired as an employee.
• Review long-running personal-services arrangements regularly for conversion into employment if the work becomes continuous and core to the business.

Contract form and onboarding

Employment terms should be captured in a written local contract and aligned with Ministry of Labour filing requirements. Employers should keep an Arabic-ready contract set, salary breakdowns, and documentary evidence showing whether housing and food are provided in kind or paid as allowances.

Foreign-worker process

Most expatriate hires need the full local sponsorship, residence, and labour workflow before work begins. Payroll should only go live after the worker has the correct labour status and the WPS banking setup is ready.

Operational control points

The most important controls in Qatar are the minimum wage package, WPS timing, pension-versus-gratuity classification, annual leave tracking, and prompt final settlement at offboarding.