Employment 'At A Glance' Guide - Qatar

The rules governing the employment of individuals working in Qatar are principally governed by Law No (14) of 2004 (Labour Law). The Labour Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is the main agency of administration.

The Labour Law excludes the workers of Qatar Petroleum and its corporate establishments whose employment is governed by special laws; it also excludes Government/ public workers whose employment is governed by the provisions of Law No (8) of 2009 (Human Resources Law). In addition, members of the armed forces, the Police, workers at sea, casual, domestic and agricultural workers and dependants are excluded from the Labour Law. The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and the Qatar Science and Technology Park also both have their own employment regulations.

This guide will focus on the Labour Law which is issued in Arabic with no official translation.

Issues arising on hiring individuals

Immigration

Immigration rules in Qatar are covered by Law No (4) of 2009 (Immigration Law) which sets out regulations under which expatriates may enter, exit, work and reside in Qatar. The Immigration Department of the Ministry of Interior is the main agency of administration. The Immigration Law defines an expatriate as any individual entering Qatar who is not a Qatari national. Unless an individual is a Gulf Cooperation Council national, they must be sponsored by either a Qatari national, an entity registered to undertake business in Qatar or a resident family member on whom the individual is dependent. This arrangement does not lend itself to short term or casual employment arrangements.

Currently the nationals of some 33 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Japan, can enter Qatar on an on-arrival visa; other nationalities may enter and represent their companies or countries on business visas which must be applied for by individuals or entities authorised by the Immigration Department prior to arrival. Details in relation to such applications may be found on Qatar Embassy websites.

Only a holder of a valid work permit may work lawfully in Qatar. Work permits may only be applied for by an individual or entity registered with the employment authorities. These applicants are known as the worker's sponsor. Sponsorship and immigration are interlinked in Qatar. Once a Qatari entity has been issued with an immigration card it may register with the Labour Department and submit block visa applications. A block visa application should state the gender, nationality and job title of the workers the Qatari entity wants to employ. Once the block visa application has been approved by the Labour Department, passport copies and education certificates if appropriate should be submitted to the Immigration Department in order...