Important points to know about employment in Qatar 

Are you looking for a new job or exploring your potential in Qatar? Then, you must understand the nitty-gritty of being an entrant or employee in the land.

There is actually a long list of the things of which you should take note. But, let us focus now on the first three!

1. Employment at a Glance

Reviewing the employment contract before accepting the job is common knowledge for every Qatari national or expatriate. Every detail must be understood completely to ensure that you and your employer are on the same page.

Here are the following articles that must be specified according to the Qatar Labour Law:

• Name of employer, place of work
• Name, qualifications, nationality, profession and residence of the worker and the proof necessary for his identification
• Date of conclusion of the contract
• Nature and type of work and place of contracting
• Date of commencement of work
• Period of the contract if it is of a definite duration
• The agreed wage and the method and date of the payment
• It’s the employer’s responsibility to take care of your visa expenses

2. Working Hours and Overtime

Two other important factors that you should be fully aware of when applying for a job in Qatar are the working hours and overtime due.

The Qatar Labour Law states that regular working hours shall not exceed 8 hours daily and 48 hours weekly for workers of legal age. However, this doesn’t apply in the month of Ramadan. In this holy month, regular working hours shall not exceed six hours daily, 36 hours weekly.

For work done in excess of eight hours, the worker shall receive no less than his basic wage plus an additional 25% at least for overtime.

Lastly, Friday shall be the weekend day of rest for all workers, except rotation shift workers.

3. Mandatory Benefits

Of course, you should not neglect the benefits of working in a foreign country like Qatar. Aside from basic salary, accommodation, transportation allowance, and an annual round-trip ticket to your home country, there are other benefits that you can enjoy during your tenure. We have listed them below.

• Annual leave — workers are entitled to an annual paid leave after one continuous year in service
• At least three weeks of leave for a service less than five years
• At least four weeks of leave for a five-year tenure
• Sick leave — every worker is entitled to a paid sick leave. However, this can be only availed after completing three months in service and a medical certificate must be submitted.
• Other vacation days — apart from annual leave and sick leave, these are the other vacation days:
• 3 working days each for Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha (at least)
• 1 working day for Qatar National Day
• 1 working day for National Sports Day
• 3 working days as specified by the employer
• Pilgrimage or Hajj leave — this benefit is solely for Muslim employees. They are entitled to a pilgrimage leave without pay for a maximum of two weeks.