Guides / Work & jobs / Your contract & rights
Domestic workers in Qatar: your rights and where to get help
A plain guide for housemaids, nannies, cooks, drivers and gardeners: your hours, day off, leave, pay, passport, changing employer, and who to call if something goes wrong.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Working time
- Max 10 hours a day, plus 1 full day off (24 hours) every week
- Minimum pay
- QAR 1,000 a month, plus food and housing (or QAR 300 + QAR 500 in cash)
- Leave
- 3 weeks paid leave a year; ticket home every 2 years
- Help
- Ministry of Labour 16008 or SMS 92727 · Police/ambulance 999
This guide is for you if you work inside a family home in Qatar: as a housemaid, nanny, cook, private driver, gardener or similar. Your rights come from Qatar's Domestic Workers Law (Law No. 15 of 2017), the minimum wage law and the residency law, and your employer must follow them. In short: a written contract, no more than 10 working hours a day, one full day off every week, three weeks of paid leave a year, at least QAR 1,000 a month plus food and housing, and your passport in your own hands. You can change employer without your employer's permission and leave Qatar without an exit permit. If something goes wrong, you can complain to the Ministry of Labour for free, and there are hotlines, your embassy and shelters to help you. Read the rights first, keep your own records, then use the help steps at the end if you need them.
Before you start
- A copy of your employment contract, in Arabic and in a language you understand. Ask your employer for one if you do not have it.
- A photo of your passport, visa and QID (Qatar ID) saved on your phone and sent to a family member you trust.
- Your QID number and visa number written down somewhere safe, because you need them to complain.
- A mobile phone with a SIM card in your own name, so the Ministry can send you codes and messages.
- A bank account in your own name, if possible, so your salary arrives by transfer and leaves a record.
- A simple notebook or phone note where you write your pay dates, amounts, days off and hours worked.
- Your embassy's phone number and the Ministry of Labour hotline 16008 saved in your phone.
- The full name, phone number and address (or zone and building number) of your employer.
Step by step
Know which law protects you
Domestic workers in Qatar have their own law, Law No. 15 of 2017, instead of the general Labour Law. The minimum wage law (Law No. 17 of 2020) and the residency law (Law No. 21 of 2015) also apply to you. Your employer is the family member who sponsors you, not the recruitment office. You must have a written contract approved by the Ministry of Labour. The Arabic version counts if there is a disagreement, so ask for a translation and make sure what you were promised at home matches it.
Check your working hours and rest
Your working time is capped at 10 hours a day. Breaks for rest, meals and prayer are not counted in the 10 hours, and they should be spread through the day. You also have the right to one weekly day off of at least 24 hours in a row. The day off is usually agreed in your contract. You can agree to work extra hours or on your day off, but you cannot be forced; Ministry guidance says extra work should be paid or the day off given back.
Read guide: Working hours, overtime pay and weekly rest in Qatar →Check your pay every month
The minimum basic wage is QAR 1,000 a month. Your employer must also give you suitable food and housing; if they do not, they must pay at least QAR 300 for food and QAR 500 for housing on top. Salary is due at the end of each month and no later than the third day of the next month. Your employer cannot cut your salary to recover recruitment fees. Write down the date and amount every time you are paid.
Read guide: Qatar's minimum wage: QAR 1,000 plus food and housing allowances →Ask to be paid into your own bank account
Payment by bank transfer protects you, because the bank keeps a record that nobody can argue with. Ask your employer to open or use an account in your name, and keep your card and PIN yourself. If you are paid in cash, the employer should ask you to sign a receipt; ask for a copy or take a photo of it. Never sign a paper saying you were paid if you were not. To send money home, use a licensed bank or exchange house only.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →Keep your passport
Your passport belongs to you. Your employer may hold it only for official procedures, such as getting or renewing your residence, and must then give it back. They may keep it for safekeeping only if you ask them to in writing. Keeping it against your will is illegal and can bring a fine of up to QAR 25,000. If it is being kept, ask politely for it back, and if that fails, report it to the Ministry of Labour.
Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →Use your leave, sick leave and health care
You are entitled to three weeks of paid annual leave each year, and a ticket home every two years. Your employer must give you medical care free of charge, including a health card so you can visit government health centres. If you are sick, you should not be asked to work; ILO guidance on Qatar's rules says paid sick leave of two weeks a year applies after your first three months, with a doctor's certificate. Agree leave dates in writing so there is no confusion later.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →Know how to change employer
You do not need your employer's permission (NOC) to move to a new employer. You must give notice through the Ministry of Labour's system: usually one month if you have worked two years or less, and two months after that. The new employer must sign a new contract with you through the Ministry before you start, and then your residence is moved to them. If you leave during your first months, the new employer may have to pay your old employer part of the recruitment costs. Do not just start working for another family, because working for someone who is not your sponsor is illegal.
Read guide: Changing jobs in Qatar without an NOC →Know your rights when the job ends
If you have worked at least one year, you are owed end-of-service pay of at least three weeks' wages for each year. You must also be paid all salary owed and any unused leave. Your employer pays your ticket home when the contract ends. You can end the contract without notice and keep these rights if your employer breaks the contract or the law, deceived you when hiring you, hurts you or your family, or puts your health or safety in serious danger. You do not need an exit permit to leave Qatar, but you must tell your employer at least 72 hours before you travel.
Read guide: End-of-service gratuity in Qatar: how it is worked out and how to claim it →Complain to the Ministry of Labour
If your salary is late, your day off is refused, your passport is kept or you are owed money, you can complain to the Ministry of Labour for free. Call the hotline 16008, or send an SMS to 92727 with the number 5 followed by your QID or visa number, and the Ministry calls you back; both work in several languages. You can also use the Ministry's online complaints platform or visit a labour office. Keep your complaint number. The Ministry first tries to settle the problem with your employer, and if that fails the case goes to a Labour Dispute Settlement Committee led by a judge.
Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →Get help from the NHRC and your embassy
The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) accepts complaints from workers, including domestic workers, and can follow up with the authorities and offer legal help. You can call it on 4404 8844 or file online at nhrc-qa.org; it says its hotlines work in Arabic, English, Urdu/Hindi, Filipino and Swahili, among others. Your embassy's labour or welfare section can also advise you, contact your employer, help with a complaint and help you go home. Save your embassy's welfare hotline in your phone before you need it.
If you are in danger, get safe first
If you are being hit, threatened, locked in, or are not safe, call the police on 999 straight away. The Aman Centre's 24-hour hotline 919 helps victims of abuse and violence. People who are victims of forced labour or trafficking, or workers thrown out of their employer's home during a dispute, can be referred to the Humanitarian Care House in Abu Hamour, run by the Ministry of Labour and Qatar Red Crescent. You reach it through the Ministry of Labour, the anti-trafficking committee or your embassy, not as a walk-in. Since July 2026, a national referral system makes sure victims get protection whether or not they help an investigation.
Read guide: Help for domestic abuse in Qatar →Protect yourself from an absconding report
If you leave your employer's house without telling anyone, your employer can report you as 'absconding' (having run away), which can lead to arrest and deportation. If you have to leave because of abuse or unpaid wages, contact the Ministry of Labour, the police, the NHRC or your embassy as soon as possible so your side is recorded. The government has said that once a worker has filed a complaint with the Ministry or the courts, the employer cannot file an absconding case. Keep your complaint number with you.
Read guide: Absconding reports in Qatar: what they mean and how to respond →
What it costs
| Minimum basic wage | QAR 1,000 a month |
| Food allowance if your employer does not give you adequate food | QAR 300 a month |
| Housing allowance if your employer does not give you adequate housing | QAR 500 a month |
| Filing a complaint with the Ministry of Labour | Free |
| Fine for an employer who keeps your passport against your will | Up to QAR 25,000 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Signing a paper that says you received salary or end-of-service money when you did not.
- Handing over your passport 'for safekeeping' without asking for it back after the residence is done.
- Having no copy of your contract, passport or QID, so you cannot prove anything later.
- Waiting many months before complaining about unpaid salary. The longer you wait, the more you lose and the harder it is to prove.
- Leaving the house without telling anyone, which can lead to an absconding report. Contact the Ministry, police, NHRC or your embassy first.
- Taking extra cleaning jobs for other families on the side. Working for someone who is not your sponsor is illegal, even on your day off.
- Paying money to someone who promises a new visa or a 'transfer'. Changing employer goes through the Ministry of Labour and you should not pay for it.
- Using unlicensed money transfer agents to send money home.
Questions people ask
Can my employer keep my passport?
No, not against your will. They may hold it only while they process your residence, or if you ask them in writing to keep it safe, and they must give it back when you ask. Keeping it can lead to a fine of up to QAR 25,000. Ask for it back, and if that fails, complain to the Ministry of Labour on 16008.
I have not had a day off for months. Is that allowed?
No. You have the right to at least 24 hours of rest in a row every week. You can agree to work on your day off, but it must be your choice, and you should be paid extra or given another day. If your employer refuses, you can complain to the Ministry of Labour.
My salary is late or less than QAR 1,000. What can I do?
Your salary is due by the third day of the next month, and the basic wage cannot be less than QAR 1,000 plus food and housing. First ask your employer politely and write down the dates. If you are still not paid, call 16008 or SMS 92727 (5, space, your QID number). The complaint is free and you do not need a lawyer.
Can I change my employer without an NOC?
Yes. Since 2020 you do not need your employer's permission. You give notice through the Ministry of Labour, usually one month in your first two years and two months after that, and your new employer signs a contract with you through the Ministry. Do not start work with the new family until the transfer is approved.
Can I go home for an emergency? Do I need an exit permit?
You do not need an exit permit. You must tell your employer at least 72 hours before you travel. If you are going for a short time and want to keep your job, agree the dates and who pays the ticket in writing, because emergency trips are not always paid unless it is your leave or ticket year.
My employer says I ran away. What happens now?
An absconding report can lead to arrest and deportation, so act quickly. Go to the Ministry of Labour or call 16008 and file a complaint explaining why you left, and contact your embassy. The government has said an employer cannot file an absconding case after you have filed a complaint, so filing early protects you.
Can my employer make me work for their relatives or friends?
Your contract is with your sponsor's household, and you should only do the work and serve the household written in it. Being sent to work in other people's homes is not allowed, and it can also put you at risk because working for someone who is not your sponsor is illegal. Raise it with the Ministry of Labour if it keeps happening.
Where can I stay if I have to leave my employer's house?
In an emergency, call the police on 999 or the Aman hotline 919. The Ministry of Labour and Qatar Red Crescent run the Humanitarian Care House for trafficking victims and workers who are thrown out during a dispute; you are referred there by the Ministry, the anti-trafficking committee or your embassy. Some embassies also help their nationals with temporary housing, so call yours.
Official sources
- ILO: Know your rights, domestic workers in Qatar (hours, leave, pay, changing employer, hotlines) ↗
- Human Rights Watch: Qatar's domestic workers law explained (2017) ↗
- Qatar Tribune: QAR 1,000 minimum wage covers domestic workers ↗
- The Peninsula: Humanitarian Care House shelter (Ministry of Labour and Qatar Red Crescent) ↗
- QNA: Ministry of Labour launches national referral system for trafficking victims (July 2026) ↗
- QNA: NHRC on access to justice for domestic workers (June 2025) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.