Qatar employment contracts, probation, notice and leave (2026)
In Qatar the contract must be written and authenticated by the Ministry, probation is capped at six months and used once per employer, and notice after probation is one month in the first two years and two months after that. Annual leave is at least three weeks a year, or four weeks from five years' service. Since June 2026 a non-compete can last up to two years, but only with Ministry approval.
Authenticated contracts and leave in Qatar
- Ministry-authenticated written contracts
- Probation and notice by service date
- Non-competes sent for Ministry approval
Qatar doubles the maximum non-compete and needs Ministry approval for it
What happened
Law No. 9 of 2026 was published in the Official Gazette on 25 June 2026. It replaced the second paragraph of Article 43, so a non-compete clause can now last up to two years after the contract ends, up from one year. The clause only takes effect once the Ministry approves it and falls away if the contract ends during probation.
What it means for you
A non-compete in a Qatar contract now needs Ministry sign-off to be enforceable. The same law took part-time and freelance workers outside the Labour Law, unless the Cabinet decides otherwise.
Dates to know
- 11 June 2026Law No. 9 of 2026 issued
- 25 June 2026Published in the Official Gazette, Issue 11
Source: Ministry of Justice, State of Qatar. We check this page every week. Last checked .
Private-sector employment contracts in Qatar are governed by Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended by Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 and Law No. 9 of 2026. The right of expatriate workers to change employer and to leave the country comes from Law No. 21 of 2015 on the entry, exit and residence of expatriates, as amended by Law No. 13 of 2018 and Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020. The Minimum Wage Law No. 17 of 2020 sets the pay floor written into every contract.
What must a Qatar employment contract contain?
It must be in writing, authenticated by the Ministry and made in three copies: one for each party and one lodged with the Ministry. It must name the employer and workplace, the worker's details, the contract date, the type of work, the start date, the term if it is fixed and the agreed wage with how and when it is paid.
If there is no written contract, the worker can prove the employment and their rights by any means. A fixed-term contract can last up to five years and be renewed by agreement. If both sides carry on after it expires without a new agreement, it becomes an open-ended contract on the same terms, and service counts from the first day. Since Law No. 9 of 2026, part-time and freelance workers are outside the Labour Law unless the Cabinet applies it to them or sets a special system.
How long can probation last in Qatar?
Up to six months from the start of work, and only once with the same employer. To end the contract in probation because the worker is unsuitable, the employer must give at least one month's written notice.
A worker who wants to leave in probation to join another employer gives one month's written notice, and the new employer pays the old one for the ticket and recruitment fees, capped at two months' basic wage. A worker leaving Qatar in probation gives the notice agreed in the contract, up to two months. A party that skips the notice pays the other the basic wage for the notice period. An expatriate who leaves the country without following these rules cannot get a work permit for a year.
How much notice is needed to end a contract after probation?
Either party can end the contract without giving a reason by giving written notice of one month in the first and second years of work and two months after the second year. A party that does not give it pays the other the worker's basic wage for the notice period, or the part not worked.
Before ending contracts for economic, structural or other reasons unrelated to the contract, the employer must also notify the Ministry at least 15 days ahead, with the reasons and the number and types of workers affected. An employer may not end a contract, or give notice, while the worker is on any leave under the law, or give notice that would expire during leave.
How much annual leave and public holiday leave are due?
A worker with a full year of continuous service is entitled to paid annual leave of at least three weeks, or four weeks once service reaches five years, with leave for part years in proportion. On top of this come ten paid holiday days a year under Article 78.
Article 78 gives three working days for Eid al-Fitr, three for Eid al-Adha, one day and three days set by the employer. Law No. 9 of 2026 changed the single day from Independence Day to the State's National Day. The employer sets the leave dates and, with the worker's agreement, can split leave into no more than two parts. At the worker's written request up to half can be carried into the next year. Leave cannot be waived, and untaken leave is paid in cash if the contract ends. Leave pay is based on basic wage.
What sick leave is a worker entitled to?
After three months' service, a worker with a medical certificate gets sick leave on full pay for up to two weeks, then half pay for four more weeks. Any further sick leave is unpaid until the worker returns, resigns or leaves for health reasons.
The contract can be ended at the end of the twelfth week of sick leave if a doctor's report confirms the worker cannot return. Twelve weeks of sick leave do not break continuous service.
Can workers in Qatar change jobs without their employer's permission?
Yes. Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020 lets an expatriate worker move to another employer under the Ministry's rules, and repealed the article that tied job changes to the old system. The worker still has to give the notice the Labour Law requires.
Both 2020 decree-laws took effect on 9 September 2020. Most workers also no longer need an exit permit: an expatriate under the Labour Law may leave Qatar temporarily or permanently while the contract runs. An employer can ask the Ministry in advance to require its approval for named staff, up to 5% of its workforce.
Are non-compete clauses enforceable in Qatar?
Yes, within limits. Where the work gives the worker knowledge of clients or business secrets, the contract can bar them from competing or working for a competing business for up to two years after it ends. Since Law No. 9 of 2026, the clause only takes effect once the Ministry approves it, and it falls away if the contract ends in probation.
Before this change the limit was one year and covered competing businesses in the same sector. A clause binding a worker to one employer for life, or barring them from any trade or profession for life, is void.
What is the minimum wage in a Qatar contract?
QAR 1,000 a month in basic pay for every private-sector worker and domestic worker, whatever their nationality. Where the employer does not provide adequate housing or food, it must also pay at least QAR 500 a month for housing and QAR 300 a month for food.
These rates come from Ministerial Decision No. 25 of 2020 under the Minimum Wage Law No. 17 of 2020 and have applied since 20 March 2021. Any agreement to pay less is void.
Key figures
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Written and authenticated contract, Article 38 | Written, authenticated by the Ministry and made in three copies, with the employer, worker, start date, type of work, term and agreed wage stated. (source) |
| Fixed-term contracts, Article 40 | Up to five years, renewable by agreement. If both sides carry on after expiry, the contract becomes open-ended and service counts from the first day. (source) |
| Probation, Article 39 (as amended in 2020) | Up to six months, once per employer. One month's written notice from the employer, or from a worker moving employer. A worker leaving Qatar gives the agreed notice, up to two months. (source) |
| Notice after probation, Article 49 (as amended in 2020) | One month in the first and second years of work, two months after the second year. Missing notice is paid at the worker's basic wage. (source) |
| Ministry notice for economic terminations, Article 52 bis | At least 15 days before the termination date, with written reasons and the number and types of workers likely to be affected. (source) |
| Annual leave, Articles 79 to 81 | At least three weeks a year under five years' service, four weeks from five years, pro rata for part years. Up to half can be carried over at the worker's written request. Untaken leave is paid when the contract ends. (source) |
| Paid holidays, Article 78 (as amended in 2026) | Three working days for Eid al-Fitr, three for Eid al-Adha, one for National Day and three set by the employer. (source) |
| Sick leave, Article 82 | After three months' service: two weeks on full pay, then four weeks on half pay, then unpaid. The contract can end at the end of week twelve on a doctor's report. (source) |
| Non-compete, Article 43 (Law No. 9 of 2026) | Up to two years after the contract ends, only where the work gives access to clients or secrets, effective only after Ministry approval, and void if the contract ends in probation. (source) |
| Changing employer, Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020 | An expatriate worker may move to another employer under the Ministry's rules. In force the day after publication on 8 September 2020. (source) |
| Leaving the country, Law No. 21 of 2015, Article 7 | An expatriate worker under the Labour Law may leave Qatar while the contract runs. An employer may ask in advance for approval rights over named staff, up to 5% of its workforce. (source) |
| Minimum wage | QAR 1,000 a month basic, plus at least QAR 500 for housing and QAR 300 for food where the employer does not provide them. In force since 20 March 2021. (source) |
Frequently asked questions
Can probation in Qatar be extended beyond six months?
No. Article 39 caps probation at six months from the start of work, and a worker can only be put on probation once with the same employer.
Is notice in Qatar paid on basic or total wage?
On basic wage. A party that ends the contract without the notice in Article 39 or Article 49 pays the worker's basic wage for the notice period or the part not worked.
Can an employee in Qatar carry over annual leave?
Yes, up to half of the year's leave, if the worker asks in writing and the employer agrees. Leave cannot be waived, and any left when the contract ends is paid in cash.
Does the Labour Law cover freelancers in Qatar?
Not since Law No. 9 of 2026, which took part-time and freelance workers outside it. The Cabinet can apply some or all of the law to them or set a special system.
Can an employer stop a worker leaving Qatar?
Only for named staff the Ministry has agreed in advance, capped at 5% of the workforce. Other workers under the Labour Law can leave while the contract runs.
Each of the six Gulf states writes its own labour law, its own end-of-service rules and its own quota for hiring citizens. When Teamed is your legal employer, we apply the right rules for the country each person works in and update your contracts, policies and payroll as the law changes, so you never have to read a statute to stay compliant.
