Kafala Abolition & Employer Transfer in Qatar

Qatar claims to have dismantled the kafala (sponsorship) system through a sequence of reforms from 2015 to 2020. The International Labour Organization (ILO) recognised the reforms as a landmark for the region. Human Rights Watch and migrant worker organisations have documented that implementation still lags the law — practitioners should not treat the reform as fully effective in every dispute.

Law No. 19 of 2020 (August 2020) — NOC abolition: workers may change employers without the current employer's written permission (the old "No Objection Certificate"). Qatar was the first GCC country to extend this freedom to all workers, including domestic workers covered by Law 15/2017.

Minimum wage (Law No. 25 of 2020, effective March 2021): QAR 1,000 basic + QAR 500 housing (if not provided) + QAR 300 food (if not provided) = QAR 1,800 total package. This is non-discriminatory and applies to every private-sector worker regardless of nationality — see the Minimum Wage and WPS entry for detail.

Notice periods (Law No. 18 of 2020 amendments):

• Service under 2 years: 1 month's written notice from either party.
• Service 2 years or more: 2 months' written notice from either party.
• Law 18/2020 shortened the 2-month threshold from 5 years of service down to 2 years — a meaningful worker benefit.
• Definite-term contracts: either party may terminate before expiry; employer termination without valid reason means the worker is owed wages for the remaining contract period; worker termination before expiry may trigger compensation owed to the employer.

Transfer without notice — breach cases: a worker may transfer directly without serving notice if the employer materially breaches the contract — unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, assault, fraud. The worker must first file a Ministry of Labour complaint documenting the breach so the record exists.

Domestic workers: covered by NOC abolition. For final departure, a domestic worker must notify the employer at least 72 hours before leaving, and transfer to a new employer requires Ministry of Labour approval.

The practical gap (HRW World Report 2025):

• Employers often require signed resignation letters before cooperating with a work permit transfer, even though this is not a legal prerequisite.
• Workers report being unable to change jobs in practice even when the employer has not paid wages for months.
• The Ministry of Labour's compelling capacity — its ability to force a non-cooperative employer to release documentation — remains limited.
• Residency is still tied to a work permit issued for a specific employer, and changing employers requires a new permit.
• Absconding remains a criminal offence; workers who leave without notice face fines, detention, deportation, and re-entry bans.

Workers' Support and Insurance Fund (Law No. 17 of 2018): unique to Qatar in the GCC. If your employer goes bankrupt or closes during the transfer process, the Fund pays out unpaid wages and end-of-service entitlements. See Minimum Wage and WPS for full detail.

Worked example — Priya, Filipina nurse, Doha: 18 months into a 2-year fixed-term contract, receives a better offer from another hospital. Under Law 19/2020 she does not need an NOC. She submits written resignation with 1 month's notice (service under 2 years triggers the 1-month rule). The new employer applies for the work permit transfer. If the current employer refuses to cooperate — requiring a signed resignation letter, withholding documentation, or filing a retaliatory absconding report — Priya files a complaint with the Ministry of Labour on 16008. Because she has a registered Labour Law 14/2004 contract on file with MADLSA, an absconding report against her is not valid.