Hiring a domestic worker in Qatar: visa, contract and rights

How residents sponsor a housemaid, nanny or driver legally in 2026: Metrash approval, the Ministry of Labour's Moawen platform, the contract, pay and the worker's rights under Law No. 15 of 2017.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Where to apply: Metrash (MOI approval and visa), then Moawen (MOL recruitment platform)
Minimum wage: QAR 1,000 a month, plus food and housing (or QAR 300 + QAR 500 allowances)
Working time: Max 10 hours a day, 1 weekly day off, 3 weeks' paid leave a year
Time: Usually several weeks from abroad; depends on the office and the worker's country

In Qatar, a domestic worker (a housemaid, nanny, cook, private driver or gardener) is sponsored by the household, not by a company, so you become the worker's legal employer. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) first decides whether your household can sponsor a worker, and you request that approval in the Metrash app. Since September 2026 the Ministry of Labour (MOL) requires recruitment to go through its Moawen platform, where you choose a licensed recruitment office, interview the worker, sign the contract and pay. The worker's rights are set by Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers and the minimum wage rules: a written contract, no more than 10 working hours a day, a weekly day off, three weeks of paid leave, end-of-service pay and a minimum wage of QAR 1,000 plus food and housing. This guide walks through the order of things, the costs you can expect and the mistakes that get families fined.

Before you start

Your valid QID and your Metrash account (the MOI app), with your mobile number registered
Proof of income: salary certificate from your employer and recent bank statements showing salary credits
Family details: your spouse's and children's QIDs and passports, and your attested marriage certificate if your family is sponsored by you
Your tenancy contract or proof of suitable housing, including a private room for a live-in worker
The type of worker you need (housemaid, nanny, cook, driver) and the nationality you prefer
A monthly budget: at least QAR 1,000 basic wage, plus food, housing, health care, and a return ticket every two years
A bank account from which you can pay the salary by transfer, so there is a clear record
The worker's passport copy and details, if you are hiring someone you already know

Step by step

Check that your household can sponsor a worker
Approval is not automatic. MOI looks at your income, job, family size, housing and how many domestic workers you already sponsor. There is no single published minimum salary for expats, so ignore anyone who quotes a fixed figure as a rule. In practice approval is easiest for residents who live in Qatar with their family; single men asking for a live-in female worker face extra review and are often refused. Start by checking eligibility and requesting approval in Metrash (next step).
Read guide: Bring your family to Qatar →
Choose your route: licensed office, known worker or local transfer
There are three legal routes. Most families recruit from abroad through a recruitment office licensed by the Ministry of Labour. If you already know a worker abroad, Moawen lets you hire that person through a licensed office. If the worker is already in Qatar with another employer, you can arrange a transfer (see step 11). Do not bring a worker on a visit visa to work, and do not hire someone who is sponsored by another person or has left their employer, because both can lead to fines for you.
Get recruitment approval in Metrash
Log in to Metrash with your QID and request approval to recruit a domestic worker, choosing the job and nationality. Upload what the app asks for, usually your salary certificate, bank statements and family documents. Pay any fee shown in the app; check the current amount there, as fees change. If approved, the approval is sent to the Moawen platform automatically, usually within 24 hours. If you are refused, the app normally shows a reason, and you may be able to reapply when your situation changes.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →
Log in to Moawen and pick a licensed office
Open moawen.mol.gov.qa (or the Moawen app) and choose 'Start your recruitment journey'. Enter your requirements and either request offers from selected offices or browse offers from all approved offices. Moawen shows ratings from other employers, which help you compare. The Ministry says Moawen is now its only approved channel for domestic worker recruitment, and only licensed offices can be on it. You can also check any office against the Ministry of Labour's published list of licensed recruitment agencies (221 offices in September 2026).
Interview the worker and agree the cost
Use Moawen to book an interview with the worker you prefer, usually by video. Ask about experience, language, cooking, childcare and health, and explain the hours, day off and duties honestly. Then agree the recruitment cost with the office. Ask for a written breakdown that separates government fees, the office's fee, airfare, medical tests and the refund or replacement terms if things do not work out during probation. There is no fixed official recruitment fee; it varies by nationality and office.
Sign the contract and pay on Moawen
Review and sign the contract with the office on Moawen, then pay the recruitment fee electronically through the platform. Paying inside Moawen creates a record the Ministry can see if there is a dispute later, so do not pay cash or transfer money to a private account. Never let the office or anyone else charge the worker for recruitment: the law forbids passing recruitment costs to the worker or deducting them from her salary.
Issue the visa and book the Qatar Visa Centre
Go back to Metrash to have the work visa issued and book the worker's appointment at a Qatar Visa Centre (QVC) in her home country, then enter the appointment details on Moawen. At the QVC the worker gives fingerprints, has her medical tests and signs her employment contract. Once she passes, the residence permit is processed and its details appear on Moawen automatically. Only then should she travel to Qatar; the office normally arranges the flight.
Receive the worker, get her QID and health card
When the worker arrives, collect her QID once it is printed and apply for her health card so she can use public health centres. The employment contract must be the official Ministry of Labour contract, written in Arabic with a translation she understands; the Arabic text prevails. Give her a copy. Her passport and QID belong to her: keeping a worker's passport is against Qatari law.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →
Pay the salary on time, by bank transfer
The salary is due at the end of each month and no later than the third day of the following month. The minimum is QAR 1,000 basic, plus food and housing; if you do not provide adequate food and housing you must add at least QAR 300 for food and QAR 500 for housing. Pay by bank transfer to her own account, or through Moawen's electronic salary transfer, so you have proof; if you pay cash, get a signed receipt every month. Late or unpaid wages are the most common reason families are fined.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →
Respect working hours, leave and living conditions
Working time is capped at 10 hours a day, not counting breaks, and she is entitled to one day off a week. She gets three weeks of paid annual leave each year and a return ticket home every two years. You must provide suitable accommodation, food and medical treatment free of charge, and treat her with dignity. Do not make her work while sick, and do not lend her to relatives or friends to work in their homes, since she may only work for the household that sponsors her.
Read guide: Annual leave, sick leave and leave salary in Qatar →
Understand probation, returns and transfers
Recruitment offices must give a probation (trial) period; under the 2021 rules this is up to nine months. Commonly reported terms are a full refund of the recruitment fee if the contract ends in the first three months, and a prorated refund from month four to nine in cases such as the worker refusing to work, leaving, or having a chronic illness. These refunds do not apply if you broke the contract or harmed the worker. Read your office's terms on Moawen, because they set the details. A worker can also change employer; during probation the new employer may have to compensate you up to one month's salary.
Read guide: Probation period in Qatar: the rules for workers and employers →
End the contract properly, or resolve disputes
When the job ends, pay all wages owed, unused leave and the end-of-service gratuity: at least three weeks' wages for each year of service, payable after at least 12 months' work. Then either release her to a new employer through a transfer or cancel her residence permit and pay for her flight home. If you and the worker cannot agree on pay or other rights, either side can file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour, which can refer it to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee.
Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →

What it costs

Minimum basic wage	QAR 1,000 a month
Food allowance (if you do not provide adequate food)	QAR 300 a month
Housing allowance (if you do not provide adequate housing)	QAR 500 a month
Recruitment office fee	No fixed official fee; agreed with the office and paid on Moawen
Fine for having no contract in place	QAR 5,000
Fine for not paying wages on time	QAR 10,000
Not paying the minimum wage	Up to QAR 10,000 and up to 1 year in prison

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

Hiring through a social media advert or an unlicensed office. The Ministry of Labour warns these can take your money with no legal protection; use Moawen and check the licensed list.
Paying the office in cash or to a personal account instead of through Moawen, which leaves you with no record if you need a refund.
Bringing a worker on a visit visa, or hiring someone sponsored by another person, which can lead to fines and deportation for the worker.
Paying the salary late or in cash without a signed receipt.
Keeping the worker's passport. It is illegal, even if you mean it as 'safekeeping'.
Giving no weekly day off or asking for more than 10 hours a day.
Deducting recruitment costs, breakages or 'loans' from the salary without a legal basis.
Not reading the office's probation and refund terms before paying.

Questions people ask

What salary do I need as an expat to sponsor a maid?

There is no single published minimum salary. MOI decides each case based on your income, family size, housing and how many workers you already sponsor. Figures like QAR 10,000 that you see online usually relate to sponsoring a family, not a domestic worker. The quickest way to know is to apply for approval in Metrash.

Can a single man hire a live-in housemaid?

Single men asking for a live-in female worker face extra review and are usually refused. Single sponsors can sometimes get approval for a male worker such as a driver. Check in Metrash before paying any office.

Is a maid covered by the Labour Law?

Domestic workers have their own law, Law No. 15 of 2017, rather than the general Labour Law. It covers hours, rest, leave, contracts and end-of-service pay, and the minimum wage law also applies to them. Disputes go to the Ministry of Labour and the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee.

Do I have to pay overtime?

The law caps the working day at 10 hours and allows extra work only if the worker agrees, but it does not set an overtime rate. Many families agree a fair extra payment in the contract. Regularly going over 10 hours or cancelling the day off is a breach of the law.

What happens if the maid does not work out in the first months?

During the probation period (up to nine months under the 2021 rules) you can end the contract and ask the office for a replacement or a refund, depending on the terms in your contract. Refunds are usually full in the first three months and prorated after that. They do not apply if you broke the contract or mistreated the worker.

Can my maid leave me and work for someone else?

Yes. Domestic workers can change employer without the old employer's permission, through the Ministry of Labour. If she moves during probation, the new employer may have to pay you compensation of up to one month's salary. She must not simply start working elsewhere without a transfer.

Can I hire a part-time or hourly maid instead?

Yes, through a company licensed to supply domestic workers by the hour or month. The worker stays sponsored by that company, so you do not need a visa. Avoid freelance workers who are sponsored by someone else, because hiring them is illegal.

Do I have to keep paying her when she is on annual leave?

Yes. Annual leave is three weeks of paid leave a year, and every two years you also pay her return ticket home. Agree the timing with her in advance and record it in writing.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Hiring a domestic worker in Qatar: visa, contract and rights

Before you start

Step by step

Check that your household can sponsor a worker

Choose your route: licensed office, known worker or local transfer

Get recruitment approval in Metrash

Log in to Moawen and pick a licensed office

Interview the worker and agree the cost

Sign the contract and pay on Moawen

Issue the visa and book the Qatar Visa Centre

Receive the worker, get her QID and health card

Pay the salary on time, by bank transfer

Respect working hours, leave and living conditions

Understand probation, returns and transfers

End the contract properly, or resolve disputes

What it costs

Common mistakes

Questions people ask

Official sources

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