Qatar’s private-sector employment rules are in Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, amended by Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 (notice and job mobility) and, most recently, by Law No. 9 of 2026, published in the Official Gazette on 25 June 2026. Implementing decisions for the 2026 law are still pending. No source reports any change to the gratuity rate, leave, overtime or notice rules. This guide gives estimates for information, not legal advice.
Who the law covers
The Labour Law covers private-sector employees. Public-sector workers are excluded, and under Law No. 9 of 2026 part-time and freelance workers are also outside it. How the social insurance law for Qatari nationals (Law No. 1 of 2022) interacts with gratuity has not been confirmed by the sources we reviewed.
End-of-service gratuity
Gratuity is set by Article 54.
- Wage used: your last basic wage (Articles 54 and 72). For piece-rate workers, the average of the last three months.
- Minimum service: 1 full year.
- Formula: at least three weeks’ basic wage for each year of service. This is a legal minimum; your contract may give more. There is no higher rate for longer service.
- Part years: paid pro rata after the first year.
- Cap: none.
How three weeks becomes a number
The law does not say how to turn “three weeks” into money. The common practice, used by our calculator, is 21 days at basic ÷ 30, which equals 0.70 of a month per year. A strict reading (monthly × 12 ÷ 52 × 3) gives 0.692 of a month, slightly less. Some advisers recommend writing the method into the contract.
| Service | Gratuity |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | Nothing |
| Each year from year 1 | At least 3 weeks’ basic wage (21 days) |
| Maximum | No cap |
Resignation and dismissal
There is no statutory reduction for resignation. One law firm suggests gratuity is also lost if you resign without giving the required notice; no other source we reviewed says this, so treat it as unconfirmed.
Gratuity is lost if you are dismissed under Article 61, which lists serious misconduct grounds. Law No. 9 of 2026 adds a new ground: inciting an unlawful strike that disrupts work. The employer may deduct amounts you owe. If you are re-hired within two months, your service counts as continuous.
An employer retirement scheme that is at least as generous as the gratuity may replace it (Article 56).
Annual leave
Article 79 gives three weeks of paid annual leave a year for service under five years, and four weeks from five years. Use the Qatar leave salary calculator to value your leave and any unused balance.
Overtime
Under Articles 74 and 75, overtime is paid on the basic wage:
- regular overtime: basic hourly wage + at least 25%;
- work between 9 pm and 6 am: + at least 50%, except for shift workers (one law firm gives the night window as 9 pm to 3 am; the statute summaries say 9 pm to 6 am);
- work on Friday or the weekly rest day: basic + at least 150%, or a day off in lieu.
Calculate your figures with the Qatar overtime calculator.
Notice period
After probation, Article 49 (as amended in 2020) requires one month’s notice for service up to two years and two months’ for service over two years, for either party.
Worked example
An employee earns a basic wage of QAR 7,000 a month and leaves after exactly 7 years.
- Day’s wage: 7,000 ÷ 30 = QAR 233.33
- Gratuity days: 7 × 21 = 147 days
- Gratuity: 147 × 233.33 = QAR 34,300
The result is the same whether the employee resigned or was terminated, unless the dismissal falls under Article 61. Enter your own figures in the Qatar gratuity calculator.
Common mistakes
- Using total salary. Qatar gratuity is on basic wage.
- Expecting a higher rate after five years. The law sets one rate, three weeks per year, unless your contract gives more.
- Treating three weeks as 15 days. Three weeks is 21 days.
- Assuming resignation reduces gratuity. The law does not reduce it.
- Missing a contract that gives more. The three weeks is a floor; check your contract and company policy.