Qatar at a glance
Taxes in Qatar
Qatar imposes no personal income tax on employment income. Employees receive their gross salary without income tax deductions.
| Contribution | Qatari/GCC Nationals | Expatriates |
|---|---|---|
| General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (GRSIA) | 10% | 0% |
| Occupational health/workplace insurance | Applicable | Applicable |
Employers must also fund end-of-service gratuity for expatriate employees.
| Contribution | Qatari/GCC Nationals | Expatriates |
|---|---|---|
| GRSIA pension | 5% | 0% |
| Income Tax | 0% | 0% |
Employer of Record in Qatar
What Is an Employer of Record?
An Employer of Record is the legal employer of your worker under Qatari law. Remote& manages employment contracts, work permit and residency sponsorship, payroll through the Wage Protection System, and statutory benefits — giving you a fully compliant employment structure without local entity setup.
How Remote& EOR Works
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| Your Company | Recruits the worker, assigns tasks, manages performance |
| Remote& | Signs the employment contract, sponsors residency, processes WPS payroll, manages gratuity and statutory leave |
| Employee | Fulfills their role for your company under a Qatar-compliant employment contract |
Ask Remi:
"Hire a Project Manager in Doha — 22,000 QAR/month, starting in 8 weeks" Remi handles contract generation, residency permit coordination, WPS payroll setup, and gratuity enrollment — all in one conversation.
Benefits in Qatar
End-of-Service Gratuity Expatriate employees who complete at least one year of continuous service are entitled to a gratuity of 3 weeks of basic salary for each year of service, paid as a lump sum on termination.
Wage Protection System (WPS) Qatar's WPS mandates electronic salary payments through the Ministry of Labour. Employers must pay salaries on time through approved financial channels.
Annual Leave and Public Holidays Employees are entitled to a minimum of 3 weeks (21 days) of paid annual leave per year, increasing to 4 weeks (28 days) after 5 years of service.
- Private health insurance (mandatory for most work visa categories)
- Housing allowance
- Transportation allowance
- Annual flight ticket to home country
- School allowance for dependents
- Mobile phone and internet allowance
Leave entitlements
| Leave type | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Annual Leave | 21 days/year (first 5 years); 28 days/year (after 5 years) |
| Sick Leave | Up to 12 weeks per year (2 weeks full pay, 4 weeks half pay, 6 weeks unpaid) |
| Maternity Leave | 50 days (for Qatari nationals); generally 1 month for expatriates |
| Paternity Leave | Not specifically mandated in law but common in practice |
| Hajj Leave | Up to 3 weeks unpaid, once during the employment relationship |
Employment conditions
Working Hours
The standard working week is 48 hours (8 hours per day). During Ramadan, hours are reduced to 6 hours per day for Muslim employees. Overtime beyond 48 hours per week must be compensated at a minimum of 125% of the regular rate.
Outdoor Work Restrictions
Qatar prohibits outdoor work between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm during the summer months (June 15 to September 15). Employers violating these restrictions face fines and operational suspensions.
Probation
Probation periods may not exceed 6 months. Either party may terminate during probation with one month's notice.
Payments
End of employment in Qatar
Indefinite-term employment contracts may be terminated by either party with one month's written notice (or longer as specified in the contract). Fixed-term contracts expire at their end date; early termination requires compensation.
Qatar's Labour Law introduced "no-objection certificate" reforms that give workers more freedom to change employers after one year of service. Unfair dismissal entitles the employee to compensation of up to three months' wages. Final settlement must include all outstanding wages, accrued leave, and end-of-service gratuity.
Frequently asked questions
International companies typically choose between: running payroll from their home entity (not viable — Qatar requires local work permits and contracts), contractor arrangements (only appropriate for project-based work), establishing a local Qatari entity, or using Remote& as Employer of Record. The EOR model gives you a compliant, WPS-registered employment structure without local entity overhead.