Qatar labour law for HR: end of service, overtime and annual leave
End-of-service gratuity (Article 54), overtime and rest-day work (Articles 74 and 75) and annual leave (Article 79) under Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, checked against the official Al Meezan portal, with the calculators that estimate each.
Last updated · 2 min read
Under Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, a worker with a full year of service gets at least three weeks’ basic wage for each year, pro rata. Overtime is basic plus 25%, or plus 50% between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. Annual leave is three weeks under five years of service and four weeks from five years.
Key takeaways
- Gratuity: at least three weeks’ basic wage per year after a full year, pro rata, no cap and no resignation reduction (Article 54).
- Dismissal in the Article 61 cases is without gratuity; Law 9 of 2026 added an eleventh case.
- Overtime: basic plus 25%, plus 50% from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.; Friday work earns a substitute day and pay (Articles 74 and 75).
- Leave: at least three weeks under five years, four weeks from five years (Article 79).
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 sets the rules below. Every figure was checked on 20 October 2026 against the consolidated Arabic text on Al Meezan, the official Qatar legal portal, including Law No. 9 of 2026. Articles 54, 74, 75 and 79 have not been amended. This is general information, not legal advice.
End-of-service gratuity (Article 54)
A worker who has completed a full year or more of service receives a gratuity agreed between the parties, but not less than three weeks’ wage for each year of service, calculated on the last basic wage, with part-years paid pro rata. There is no cap and no reduction for resignation. The employer may deduct amounts the worker owes. Dismissal in the cases listed in Article 61 is without notice and without gratuity; Law No. 9 of 2026 added a case for inciting an unlawful strike.
The law does not convert “three weeks” into a share of the monthly wage. The Qatar gratuity calculator uses 21 days of the basic monthly wage divided by 30, and says so.
Overtime and rest days (Articles 74 and 75)
Total working time may not exceed ten hours a day, except to prevent serious loss or an accident. Overtime is paid at the basic hourly wage plus at least 25%, and plus at least 50% between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., except for shift workers. Friday is the weekly rest day; a worker who works on it gets another rest day and either the rest-day pay or the basic wage plus an increase of at least 150%. Work on a public holiday is paid under Article 74. The Qatar overtime calculator applies these rates and shows the rest-day rate as the text reads, 250% of basic.
Annual leave (Article 79)
After one full continuous year, annual leave is at least three weeks for service under five years and four weeks from five years, with part-years pro rata. The law says “weeks” and does not specify calendar or working days, so the Qatar leave calculator shows them as 21 and 28 calendar days. Leave may be split into no more than two periods, up to half can be carried over at the worker’s request, and unused leave is paid out when the contract ends.
What to check
- Record the conversion you use for “three weeks”.
- Use the basic wage, defined as the time or piece rate plus annual increments only (Article 1).
- Update holiday calendars: Law No. 9 of 2026 renamed Independence Day as National Day.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
How do you turn “three weeks” into money?
The law does not say. The calculator uses 21 days of the basic monthly wage divided by 30, which is 0.7 of a month per year. Record the method you use, because others are possible.
What is the night window for overtime in Qatar?
Article 74 sets it at 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., when overtime is paid at basic plus at least 50%. Shift workers are excluded.
Does a worker who resigns lose part of the gratuity?
No. Article 54 sets no reduction for resignation. Gratuity is lost only on dismissal in the cases listed in Article 61.
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
