Qatar is a high-income economy with the world’s third largest natural gas and oil reserves. With the highest per-capita income in the world and more than 2.8 million people, Qatar offers growth and opportunity for companies looking to expand.

Payroll and Tax Considerations in Qatar:

  • Employment contracts must be in writing, authenticated by the Labor Department and produced in 3 copies. The contract must contain information such as qualifications, date of conclusion and agreed upon wages
  • The minimum wage for private sector workers is QAR 1,000 per month
  • Overtime is paid at 150% of regular hourly wages
  • Employees are required to pay severance upon the employee termination
  • Employees must receive 3 weeks wages for every year of employment for severance pay
  • Qatar does not have personal income tax
  • Qatar uses the Wage Protection System (WPS) to pay employees

HR and Statutory Requirements

  • Employees are entitled to annual leave after 1 year of service. Annual leave is 3 weeks for employees who have worked for less than 5 years and 4 weeks for more than 5 years
  • Employees are entitled to sick leave after 3 months of service. They must prove their illness through a medical report
  • Sick leave is paid in full for the first 2 weeks, then 50% for the next 4 weeks. Anything beyond 6 weeks is unpaid
  • Females receive 50 days of maternity leave after 1 year of service with their employer
  • There are no provisions for paternity leave in Qatar
  • There is no set legal retirement age for the private sector, but the public sector is 60 years for men and 55 for women
  • Employees with at least 15 years of experience are eligible for retirement pension

Holidays in Qatar

  • February 8 – National Sports Day
  • May 3 – Eid al-Fitr
  • May 4 – Eid al-Fitr Holiday
  • May 5 – Eid al-Fitr Holiday
  • July 10 – Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)
  • July 11 – Eid al-Adha Holiday
  • July 12 – Eid al-Adha Holiday
  • December 18 – National Day

To get started in Qatar or to simplify operations, Blue Marble has created a cloud-based payroll platform with aggregated reporting so you can view payroll in real-time across all countries and currencies. We provide a dedicated US-based service team and direct access to in-country experts in Qatar to help when questions come up. Get easy-to-use payroll, ensure compliance, and optimize operations in Qatar with Blue Marble Global Payroll. Click here to learn more