Qatar Publishes Minimum Gratuity Benefit Every Worker Must Receive After 1 Year

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  • Article 54 of Qatar Labour Law sets a clear floor for the gratuity benefit every employee is entitled to after one year of service
  • The law calculates the minimum gratuity payment using the employee's basic salary, not their total monthly package
  • Employers in Qatar can pay above the legal minimum, but the law strictly prohibits any payment below the set threshold

Qatar's Labour Law guarantees every worker a minimum end-of-service gratuity payment, with the rules set out clearly under Article 54 of the legislation.

Under the provision, any employee who has worked for an employer for more than one year is entitled to a gratuity benefit worth at least three weeks of their basic salary for each completed year of service.

Qatar Labour Law ensures every eligible worker receives an end-of-service gratuity of at least three weeks’ basic salary for each completed year of service. Photo credit: AFP via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

How the gratuity amount is calculated

In practical terms, this means the minimum payout cannot fall below 21 days of an employee's basic salary for every full year they worked with a company in Qatar. The calculation is based strictly on basic salary, which is separate from allowances or other components that may form part of a worker's total monthly pay.

Qatar's Labour Law gives employers flexibility to offer a higher gratuity if their internal policy allows for it. A company may therefore choose to pay above the 21-day minimum, and the law permits this without restriction.

What the law does not allow

However, the legislation draws a firm line on the lower end. No employer or company operating in Qatar is allowed to pay workers a gratuity of less than three weeks' basic salary per year of completed service. Any payment below that threshold would be a violation of Article 54.

Workers in Qatar who believe their gratuity calculation fell short of the legal minimum have grounds to raise a complaint under the Labour Law.

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