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Notice period in Qatar: what you owe and the gratuity you keep
The notice period in Qatar is 1 or 2 months. Resigning does not cost you your gratuity in Qatar. Leaving without notice costs you the basic wage for the days you skip. Here are the notice rules, two worked examples in QAR and the mistakes to avoid.
How long is the notice period in Qatar?
The rule comes from Article 49 of the Qatar Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), which lets either side end a contract with no end date by giving written notice. Law No. 18 of 2020 changed the length of the notice. After probation it is now:
| Your service | Written notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 years | 1 month |
| 2 years or more | 2 months |
Before 2020 the 2 month notice only began after 5 years. Some websites still show the old figure.
Probation has its own rules. A law firm summary of the 2020 reform says an employee who leaves Qatar during probation may be asked for up to 2 months, and one who moves to another employer in Qatar gives 1 month. Read your contract and ask the Ministry of Labour if you are unsure.
Law No. 9 of 2026 changed parts of the Labour Law, including some grounds for dismissal. We could not find a published text that changes the notice periods above. Confirm with the Ministry of Labour before you hand in your letter.
- 1Write the letter and keep proof of the date
- 2Work the notice
- 3Hand back tools and keys
- 4Collect wages, leave pay and gratuity
What happens if you skip the notice?
The side that ends the contract without the notice owes the other side compensation. The amount is the basic wage for the notice period, or for the part not served. It works both ways. An employer who sends you home the same day owes you the same.
To get a day's basic wage, divide the monthly basic wage by 30. This is the same rule the Qatar gratuity calculator uses.
Example 1: you leave 10 days into a 30 day notice. Basic wage QAR 5,000, service under 2 years.
- A day of basic wage: 5,000 ÷ 30 = QAR 166.67.
- Days not served: 30 − 10 = 20.
- You owe about 166.67 × 20 = QAR 3,333.
Example 2: the employer ends the contract at once. Basic wage QAR 8,000, 5 years of service, so two months of notice.
- If the employer pays nothing in lieu, a month of notice not given is worth QAR 8,000 to you, so 2 months is QAR 16,000.
- Your gratuity is separate and is still due (see below).
Do you lose end of service gratuity if you resign in Qatar?
No. Article 54 gives a worker with at least one year of service a gratuity of at least 3 weeks of the last basic wage for each year. Part years count in proportion. The article has no cut for resigning. You lose it only if you are dismissed for one of the serious reasons in Article 61, such as false documents, disclosing company secrets, assault or being drunk at work.
The formula is: basic wage ÷ 30 × 21 × years of service.
| Service | Gratuity on a basic wage of QAR 6,000 |
|---|---|
| 1 year | QAR 4,200 |
| 2 years | QAR 8,400 |
| 3 years | QAR 12,600 |
| 5 years | QAR 21,000 |
| 10 years | QAR 42,000 |
Example 3: a part year. Basic wage QAR 4,500, service 2 years and 9 months (2.75 years).
- A day of basic wage: 4,500 ÷ 30 = QAR 150.
- Days of gratuity: 21 × 2.75 = 57.75.
- Gratuity: 57.75 × 150 = QAR 8,662.50.
If your contract gives 4 weeks a year, the contract wins because it gives more. Only the basic wage counts. Housing and transport allowances do not.
Work out your own Qatar gratuity →
When can you be dismissed with no notice and no gratuity?
Article 61 lists the cases. Examples are a false identity or false certificates, a mistake that causes gross financial loss, repeated breaches of written safety rules, disclosing secrets, being drunk or drugged at work, assaulting the employer or a manager, and absence without a valid reason for more than 7 days in a row or 15 days in a year. Law No. 9 of 2026 is reported to add one more ground, about inciting others to strike for unlawful reasons. We have not seen the text, so check it.
If you think a dismissal was wrong, you can complain to the Ministry of Labour. Disputes then go to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committees.
Mistakes people make
- Using the old 5 year rule. The 2 month notice starts after 2 years since 2020.
- Counting allowances in the gratuity. Article 54 uses the last basic wage.
- Thinking resignation cancels the gratuity. It does not.
- Resigning by phone or message only. Give a written letter and keep proof of the date.
- Forgetting the day rate. Divide by 30, not by the working days in the month.
- Ignoring your contract. A longer notice or a higher gratuity in the contract still applies.
This is an estimate under the published law, not legal advice. The Ministry of Labour or a court gives the final figure.
Questions people ask about the notice period in Qatar
What is the notice period in Qatar? One month if you have worked under 2 years, and 2 months from 2 years (Article 49, as amended in 2020). Check probation terms in your contract.
What if I leave without notice? You owe the basic wage for the notice days you did not work. Your gratuity is not lost for this reason.
Do I get gratuity if I resign after 11 months? No. Article 54 needs at least one year of service.
Is Qatar gratuity paid on basic or total salary? On the last basic wage.
When must the employer pay my dues? Before the end of the working day after the contract ends, or within 7 days if you left without giving notice (Article 67). The employer may take what you owe from the gratuity (Article 54). See final settlement in Qatar.
Sources
- Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, consolidated text (Al Meezan) (Articles 49 as amended in 2020, 54, 61, 67)
- Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, original 2004 English text (UNODC) (Articles 54, 61)
- Pinsent Masons, Qatar labour law and immigration reforms (Law No. 18 of 2020)
- Gulf Times, calculation of gratuity
This guide is general information, checked in November 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Ministry of Labour.