Qatar: Amendments to Labor Law

Qatar has amended its labor laws, including the following changes, among others: 

• Mandatory training requirement. Workers in certain professions (to be announced) must obtain training and certification from Ministry-accredited entities before commencing employment; previously this was not mandatory. 
• New categories of workers excluded from Labor Law. Part-time and freelance workers as well as employees of companies operating in the petroleum industry (including the marketing and sale of petroleum and petroleum products) are now expressly excluded from the Labor Law. Despite this, Qatari authorities retain the discretion to apply regulatory frameworks to these types of workers.   
• New penalties.
  • Where an employer repeatedly breaches labor rules in the same year, not only may this lead to the suspension of the employer’s applications and transactions with the Ministry of Labor, but such suspensions may now also extend to organizations that are “affiliated” (undefined) with the offending employer.
  • Repeated labor law violators may be listed on the Ministry of Labour’s website.
  • Separately, a QAR 2,000-10,000 fine and or imprisonment for up to one year has been introduced for wage non-compliance. 

These amendments increase employer compliance obligations and enforcement risks, requiring organizations to review their hiring, worker classification, payroll, and labor compliance practices to mitigate potential operational, financial and reputational consequences. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.