Labor & Employment Law in Qatar

Labor and employment work in Qatar

The firm covers Qatar matters in cooperation with an announced partner office in Qatar. That partner office is not a branch owned by the firm, and the firm does not itself hold a Qatar law practice license; local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter in the State of Qatar. We advise on Qatari employment matters: employment contracts, probation, notice and termination, end-of-service entitlements, workplace rules and the handling of a complaint from either side.

The Qatari labor law framework

Employment in Qatar is governed by Labour Law No. 14 of 2004. In 2020 the legislator changed the framework in several steps: Law No. 18 of 2020 replaced a number of articles of the Labour Law, including Articles 39, 43, 49, 115 bis, 144, 145 and 145 bis; Law No. 17 of 2020 introduced a national minimum wage; and Law No. 19 of 2020 removed the no-objection-certificate requirement for changing employers.

Labour Dispute Settlement Committees

Under Article 115 bis, as replaced in 2020, one or more Labour Dispute Settlement Committees are set up at the Ministry of Labour, each presided over by a judge of the Court of First Instance selected by the Supreme Judicial Council. A labor claim in Qatar therefore starts with how the facts and the contract are presented to that committee, and we prepare that file with the partner office.

Working with us

Contracts that were drafted before 2020 are worth reading again against the amended text, especially on termination and on changing employers. For a dispute that is already running, see our dispute resolution practice, read the General Commercial & Corporate overview, or contact our team.

MENA coordination

The firm was founded in Kuwait in 1986 and has a branch in Cairo. It covers MENA matters in cooperation with partner offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and partner offices in Turkey and the United States. Those partner offices are not branches owned by the firm; local licensing and advice are assessed in the relevant jurisdiction.

This page is general information, not advice for a particular entity or transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Which law governs employment in Qatar?

Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended, including by Law No. 18 of 2020, which replaced several of its articles.

Who hears labor disputes in Qatar?

Labour Dispute Settlement Committees established at the Ministry of Labour under Article 115 bis, each presided over by a judge of the Court of First Instance selected by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Does the firm have an office in Qatar?

The firm covers Qatar matters in cooperation with an announced partner office in Qatar. That partner office is not a branch owned by the firm, and the firm does not itself hold a Qatar law practice license; local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter in the State of Qatar.

Other markets

Corporate & Commercial Law in Qatar · Labor & Employment Law in Egypt · Labor & Employment Law in Saudi Arabia · Labor & Employment Law in the UAE · Labor & Employment Law in Oman · Labor & Employment Law in Bahrain