Domestic Worker Rights in Qatar

Domestic workers in Qatar are governed by Law No. 15 of 2017 — a separate statute from the main Labour Law No. 14 of 2004. The standard contract (Cabinet Resolution No. 30 of 2017) must be issued in Arabic and English. MADLSA (Ministry of Labour) has oversight.

Who is covered: maids, cooks, gardeners, nannies, drivers, security guards, and similar household workers employed in private homes.

Working hours and rest:

• Maximum 10 hours per working day — weaker than the 8-hour-a-day cap under Labour Law 14/2004 for mainstream private-sector workers. This is a documented protection gap.
• The standard contract structures this as 8 hours basic + up to 2 hours overtime; any work beyond 10 hours must be compensated.
• Weekly rest: 1 day per week. Required work on the rest day must be compensated either with an alternative rest day or in cash.
• Annual leave: 3 weeks (21 days) paid per year after 1 full year of continuous service. Cash compensation is required if the contract ends without leave having been taken.
• Sick leave: up to 1 month per year with medical documentation.

Minimum wage — Qatar's unique position (Law 25/2020, March 2021):

• QAR 1,000 per month basic applies explicitly to domestic workers.
• + QAR 500 per month housing allowance if the employer does not provide accommodation.
• + QAR 300 per month food allowance if the employer does not provide meals.
• Qatar is the only GCC country with a non-discriminatory minimum wage that explicitly covers domestic workers.

End-of-service gratuity (Article 15, Law 15/2017): minimum 3 weeks (21 days) of basic wage per year of service, after at least 1 full year. Prorated thereafter. This is the same minimum as under Labour Law 14/2004.

Employer obligations:

• Adequate accommodation, food, and medical care.
• Return air ticket at the end of the contract or on termination.
• The worker cannot be employed in tasks outside the agreed scope of the contract.
• Passport confiscation is prohibited. The worker must retain her own passport.
• Physical and psychological abuse is prohibited and can trigger criminal liability.
• A standard contract in Arabic and English is mandatory.

Exit from Qatar: domestic workers are covered by the 2020 exit-permit abolition (see Exit Permit and Travel Ban). A worker must notify the employer at least 72 hours before departing — this is notification, not permission.

Enforcement gap (ILO December 2024 GCC WPS report; migrant rights NGOs): Law 15/2017 has weaker enforcement mechanisms than the main Labour Law. Complaints go through the Labour Relations Department at MADLSA, but there is no dedicated domestic-worker labour court. The Wage Protection System coverage for domestic workers is not yet comprehensive — workers should keep pay records manually.

Support resources:

• Ministry of Labour hotline: 16008.
• MADLSA online portal: mol.gov.qa.
• Philippine Embassy Doha — POLO (Philippine Overseas Labour Office).
• Indian Community Welfare Fund through the Indian Embassy.
• Indonesia and Ethiopia embassy helpdesks for their nationals.
• Workers' Support and Insurance Fund (Law 17/2018) — unpaid wages recovery if the employer disappears.

Worked example — Grace, Filipina domestic worker, Doha: earns QAR 1,200 per month basic with accommodation and food provided. Employer withholds two months' wages. Grace calls 16008 and files a complaint citing Law 15/2017 and the Law 25/2020 minimum wage. MADLSA orders the employer to pay back wages. If the employer cannot be located or goes insolvent, the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund covers the unpaid amount. Grace also contacts POLO at the Philippine Embassy, which provides shelter and legal support while the complaint is resolved.