Notice Periods & End-of-Service Benefits Qatar Explained

Last reviewed: 25 October 2026

Leaving a job in Qatar or being let go usually comes down to two questions: how much notice is required, and how much end-of-service gratuity you are owed.

The short answer: after probation, the notice period is normally one month during your first two years of service and two months after completing two years. If you have completed at least one year of employment, you are generally entitled to end-of-service gratuity of at least three weeks of your last basic wage for every year worked, subject to specific exceptions under the law.

This guide explains notice periods and end-of-service benefits in Qatar in plain terms, including the legal requirements, gratuity calculations and what to do if your employer does not pay your entitlements.

Notice periods and end-of-service benefits in Qatar at a glance

For employees covered by Qatar's Labour Law, two legal mechanisms shape the end of an employment relationship:

• Notice period — The written notice an employee or employer must generally provide before terminating an employment contract after probation.
• End-of-service gratuity — A payment calculated according to the employee's length of service and last basic wage, subject to the applicable legal requirements.

Both are governed by Qatar's Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended, and administered by the Ministry of Labour (MOL).

The notice provisions were updated by Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020, while Law No. 9 of 2026 introduced further amendments affecting the scope of the Labour Law and certain grounds for dismissal.

These provisions apply to employees covered by the general Labour Law, rather than automatically applying to every worker in Qatar. Government employees, domestic workers and certain other employment categories are subject to separate rules.

Domestic workers are covered by a separate law, which we explain further below.

Who sets the rules: the Ministry of Labour

The Ministry of Labour (MOL) is responsible for regulating employment relationships covered by Qatar's Labour Law No. 14 of 2004.

The ministry oversees employment matters, labour rights, contractual obligations and employment-related complaints.

If you and your employer disagree over notice periods, unpaid wages or end-of-service gratuity, you can submit a complaint through the Ministry of Labour's official complaints system.

Unresolved individual employment disputes may be referred to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee under the applicable procedures.

Because the outcome depends on the employment contract, length of service and circumstances of termination, this guide explains the general legal rules rather than predicting the result of an individual case.

Notice periods under Qatar Labour Law

Under Article 49 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended by Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020, either party may terminate an employment contract after the probation period, or where no probation period was agreed, without stating a reason, provided the required written notice is given.

The amended provision is not limited to open-ended employment contracts.

However, different rules apply during probation, and specific legal circumstances may allow termination without the usual notice requirements.

How long is the notice period?

The standard written notice periods after probation are:

• One month — During the first and second years of employment.
• Two months — After completing two years of employment.

The notice must be given in writing.

Employees should provide a formal resignation letter or written notification and retain evidence of when the notice was received.

Email may provide a useful written record, but employees should follow their employer's formal notification procedures and ensure they can demonstrate that notice was delivered.

What happens if you don't give notice?

If either party terminates the contract without observing the required notice period, the party ending the contract must compensate the other party.

Under the amended Article 49, compensation is equal to the employee's basic wage for the full notice period or the unserved portion of that period.

For example, if an employee earning a monthly basic wage of QAR 5,000 is required to serve one month's notice but leaves without serving any of it, the applicable compensation may amount to QAR 5,000.

The same general principle applies when an employer terminates an employee without observing the required notice period.

However, Article 50 requires an employer to pay an employee their full remuneration during a notice period in which the employee continues working normally.

This is an important distinction: compensation for failing to observe notice is based on the basic wage, while normal pay during a worked notice period is based on full remuneration.

What if you're still on probation?

Different notice requirements apply under Article 39, as amended in 2020:

• An employer terminating employment during probation must generally provide at least one month's notice.
• An employee moving to another employer in Qatar during probation must provide at least one month's written notice, with certain recruitment-cost obligations falling on the new employer.
• An employee leaving Qatar during probation must follow the agreed notice period, which cannot exceed two months.

Employees should check which rules apply before resigning or accepting another job.

End-of-service gratuity explained

End-of-service gratuity is a statutory employment benefit calculated according to an employee's length of service.

Under Article 54 of Qatar's Labour Law, employers must pay eligible employees an end-of-service gratuity upon termination, in addition to other amounts due.

Who qualifies for gratuity?

An employee who has completed at least one full year of service is generally entitled to end-of-service gratuity.

If employment ends before completing one year, the statutory entitlement under Article 54 does not arise.

The entitlement generally applies whether an eligible employee resigns, is dismissed through ordinary termination or completes an employment contract.

However, there are important exceptions.

Article 61 allows employers to dismiss employees without notice and without end-of-service gratuity in specifically defined circumstances, including certain serious misconduct cases.

These include using false employment documents, disclosing confidential business information, repeated failure to perform essential duties after written warnings and certain unauthorised absences.

Law No. 9 of 2026 also added a ground relating to inciting other workers to strike for unlawful reasons where this disrupts the employer's operations.

These exceptions do not mean an employer can automatically withhold gratuity whenever an employee is dismissed for alleged misconduct. The relevant statutory requirements must be satisfied.

Article 56 also contains special provisions for employers operating retirement or similar benefit schemes that provide eligible workers with benefits greater than the statutory gratuity.

How gratuity is calculated

The law sets a minimum of three weeks of the employee's last basic wage for every year of service, with a proportional amount for any fraction of a year after completing the first full year.

The standard calculation is:

End-of-service gratuity = (Last monthly basic wage ÷ 30) × 21 × years of service

This formula follows the Labour Law's definition of a month as 30 days and its minimum gratuity requirement of three weeks per year.

A few important points:

• Based on basic wage — The calculation uses the employee's last basic wage, not the total salary package. Housing, transport and other allowances are generally excluded from the statutory minimum calculation.
• Three weeks per year is the minimum — An employment contract or company policy may provide a higher gratuity entitlement, but cannot ordinarily reduce the applicable statutory minimum.
• Partial years count — Once an employee completes the first full year, additional months or fractions of a year are calculated proportionally.
• Deductions — Article 54 allows employers to deduct amounts lawfully owed to them by the employee from the gratuity.
• Retirement schemes — Under Article 56, a qualifying retirement or similar benefits system may affect whether gratuity must be paid separately.

Worked examples

Three weeks of basic wage equals 21 days, or 70% of one month's basic wage when calculated using the statutory 30-day month.

Here's how that works at two different salary levels.

Example 1 — QAR 6,000 basic wage, four full years:

• Daily basic wage = QAR 6,000 ÷ 30 = QAR 200
• Gratuity per year = QAR 200 × 21 = QAR 4,200
• Four years × QAR 4,200 = QAR 16,800

Minimum gratuity: QAR 16,800

Example 2 — QAR 3,200 basic wage, two full years:

• Daily basic wage = QAR 3,200 ÷ 30 = approximately QAR 106.67
• Gratuity per year = QAR 106.67 × 21 = QAR 2,240
• Two years × QAR 2,240 = QAR 4,480

Minimum gratuity: QAR 4,480

These examples assume the standard statutory minimum, continuous service, no applicable Article 61 exception and no alternative qualifying benefit scheme.

Employees should calculate their entitlements using their actual last basic wage and exact duration of service, including eligible fractions of a year.

The result represents the statutory minimum rather than necessarily the total amount payable under an employment contract.

Domestic workers: separate rules

Domestic workers, including housemaids, private household drivers and cooks employed in domestic service, are governed by Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers, rather than the general Labour Law.

Under Article 15, a domestic worker who has completed at least one full year of eligible service is entitled to an agreed end-of-service gratuity of at least three weeks' pay for each year worked, with fractions calculated proportionally.

However, the Domestic Workers Law also provides specific exceptions.

Under Article 16, an employer may dismiss a domestic worker without notice and withhold gratuity for the year of dismissal where the worker breaches their obligations under the law or employment contract, subject to the applicable legal requirements.

For notice-related matters, the Ministry of Labour provides a separate electronic service allowing an employer to waive a domestic worker's notice period before the worker applies to change employers.

Domestic workers should confirm the applicable requirements through MOL rather than assuming every provision of the general Labour Law applies in exactly the same way.

What to prepare and where to go

Before your last working day, gather the documents needed to verify your final settlement:

• Your signed employment contract showing your employment start date, basic wage and applicable terms.
• Payslips or salary records confirming your latest basic wage and allowances.
• Written evidence of when and how notice was given, including resignation or termination letters.
• A simple service calculation showing your total years and months of employment.
• Records of unused annual leave, outstanding salary and any contractual benefits still due.
• Any correspondence about your final settlement or deductions.

Your end-of-service gratuity is not necessarily the only amount your employer owes you.

Depending on your circumstances, your final settlement may also include unpaid salary, payment for unused annual leave and other applicable entitlements.

Under Article 81, employees are entitled to payment for annual leave due but not taken when employment ends.

Article 67 also sets deadlines for payment of outstanding employment entitlements.

As a general rule, employers must settle amounts due by the end of the working day following termination. If an employee leaves without giving the notice required under Article 49, payment must be made within seven days of leaving.

What if your employer doesn't pay?

If your employer withholds gratuity, disputes your service period or fails to settle your final dues, you can submit an official complaint through the Ministry of Labour's Unified Platform for Complaints and Whistleblowers.

The official process allows eligible employees to:

1. Open the MOL Unified Complaints Platform.
2. Log in as an individual using their QID or visa number and the registered mobile number.
3. Complete the one-time-password verification process.
4. Select Submit a New Complaint.
5. Enter the complaint details and attach the relevant documents.
6. Review and submit the complaint.

The Ministry of Labour's online labour complaint service is free of charge.

The official service also allows users to follow up on previously submitted complaints.

For further guidance, visit the Hukoomi guide to submitting a labour complaint.

Keep copies of your documents and complaint reference details for follow-up.

For more on employment rights and official processes, browse the employment and legal guides on Qatar Living.

FAQs

Is end-of-service gratuity paid if I resign?

Yes, generally. Employees covered by Qatar's Labour Law who have completed at least one year of service are entitled to end-of-service gratuity when they resign, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

The minimum is three weeks of the last basic wage for every year worked, including proportional payment for eligible fractions of a year.

How long is the notice period in Qatar?

After probation, the standard notice period is one month during the first two years of employment and two months after completing two years, under Article 49 as amended by Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020.

Separate provisions apply during probation and in certain other circumstances.

Is gratuity calculated on my full salary or just basic wage?

Gratuity under Article 54 is calculated using the employee's last basic wage, not the full salary package.

Housing, transport and other allowances are generally excluded from the statutory minimum calculation.

What if my employer doesn't give me notice?

Under Article 49, a party who terminates employment without observing the required notice period must generally compensate the other party based on the employee's basic wage for the unserved notice period.

However, specific statutory exceptions can apply, including those under Article 61.

Do domestic workers get gratuity too?

Yes. Under Law No. 15 of 2017, an eligible domestic worker who has completed at least one full year of service is generally entitled to at least three weeks' pay for every year worked, including proportional payment for fractions of a year.

Specific exceptions apply under the Domestic Workers Law.

Is there a fee to claim my gratuity?

The Ministry of Labour's official online complaints service is free of charge.

Employees who have not received their gratuity or other employment entitlements can submit a complaint through the Unified Platform for Complaints and Whistleblowers.

When should my employer pay my final settlement?

Under Article 67, outstanding employment entitlements must generally be paid by the end of the working day following termination.

If the employee leaves without serving the notice required under Article 49, the law allows payment within seven days of leaving.

Official sources

• Ministry of Labour — Law No. 14 of 2004 (Labour Law)
• Ministry of Labour — Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers
• Ministry of Labour — Waiver of Notification Period (e-service)

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees can change — always confirm with the official sources linked above before you act.

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