Hiring in Qatar

The terms set out role, salary in QAR, working time, leave, notice and any restrictive covenants, which are capped at one year. The EOR is the counterparty to the employee, which is what removes the need for your own entity.

Arabic is the controlling language. Contracts are usually bilingual with English, but the Arabic text prevails if the two differ.

Fixed-term contracts can run for up to five years and be renewed by agreement. If work continues after expiry without a renewal, the contract becomes indefinite.

Set probation from day one. Only one probation period is allowed with the same employer, and the employer can only end it if the employee proves unfit for the role.

Some EORs shorten probation as policy because they, not you, carry the dismissal risk. Ask before you agree a start date.

Overtime is paid at 1.25 times the basic hourly wage, or 1.5 times between 9pm and 6am, and the working day is capped at 10 hours.

The exemption is narrower than many expect. It covers managerial roles, so most professional hires remain within the statutory overtime rules. Put the position in writing either way.

Market practice for professional roles is often 30 calendar days, well above the statutory floor, so quote the market figure when you budget. Three of the public holidays are chosen by the employer.

Paid sick leave starts after 3 months of service, with 2 weeks on full pay and 4 weeks on half pay. Maternity leave is 50 days on full pay after a year of service, funded entirely by the employer, and there is no statutory paternity leave, so confirm what the EOR offers.

Either side may terminate on notice or pay in lieu. The gratuity is at least three weeks' basic wage for each year of service, calculated on the final basic wage, and many contracts pay more.

The EOR runs the process as the legal employer and will want the paperwork in order, including final pay, unused leave, the gratuity, any repatriation ticket and cancellation of the residence permit. Notice cannot be served while the employee is on leave, and arbitrary dismissal claims exist, so keep a documented reason.

Employer-funded health insurance for expatriate staff is required under the 2021 health care law, which is being phased in. Private medical, dental and group life cover are standard for professional roles, as are housing, transport and annual flight allowances, even though most are not mandatory.

EORs often bundle benefits through a group scheme. Ask what is included in the fee and what is billed on top.

Employer social insurance adds 14% of basic salary plus social and housing allowances for Qatari hires. Expatriates attract no contribution, but the gratuity accrues at roughly 5.8% of basic salary a year. That is before the EOR fee.

The Wage Protection System is the trap. Salaries must reach a Qatari bank account within seven days of the due date, and late or rejected payments can see the sponsor's work permit services suspended, so ask how the EOR monitors its submissions.

Ask whether the EOR sponsors directly or refers to a partner. A partner-model EOR often cannot sponsor at all, and visa quotas and Qatarisation targets apply to the sponsor, not to you.

Degree attestation in the home country is the usual bottleneck, and residence formalities must be completed within 30 days of arrival. Set start dates after the residence permit is issued, not before.

Get the data processing terms in the service agreement, not just the privacy notice. Cross-border transfers need a lawful basis.

Ask where payroll data is hosted and who in the partner chain can see it.

Full foreign ownership is open in most sectors with ministry approval, but the running cost is the point: a leased office, licence renewals, a PRO for government filings, accounting, audit and corporate tax returns set an annual floor.

Permanent establishment risk is about what people do, not where payroll sits. Revenue-generating activity can create exposure regardless of the employment route.