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Health certificate and food handler licence for food, barber and salon workers in Qatar
If you work with food, in a barber shop, a beauty salon or a health club, you need a Ministry of Public Health health certificate, and food staff also need the MOPH food handler licence. Here is how both work, what they cost and how to keep them valid.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who needs it
- Food, barber, beauty salon and health club staff
- Health check
- QAR 20, results usually within 1 to 3 days
- Food licence
- Exam QAR 50, licence QAR 50, valid 3 years
- Who applies
- Usually your employer, for you
Qatar wants anyone who touches food or works close to customers' skin and hair to be healthy and trained. So there are two separate papers. The health certificate is a medical check by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Medical Commission for people working in food handling, barber shops, beauty salons and health clubs, and it is usually renewed every year. The food handler licence is a newer MOPH permit for food staff: you pass a food safety exam, and the licence lasts 3 years. In almost every case your employer registers, books and pays for both, so this guide shows what happens and what you need to have ready. The normal order is: residence papers, then the health check, then food safety training and the exam, then the licence.
Before you start
- Your passport (the original if this is your first certificate) and a copy of the page with your residence permit, or your entry visa copy if you are new
- Your Qatar ID (QID) once you have it; the food handler licence needs a QID
- Two recent passport photos (6 x 4 cm) for the health certificate, and a 5 x 6 cm photo on a white background for the food handler licence
- Your vaccination card, if you have one
- From your employer: the establishment card (computer card) copy and the commercial registration (CR) showing the branch you work in
- The printed MOPH health certificate application form, filled in and stamped by your employer
- Your previous health certificate, if you are renewing, changing employer or changing job title
- Proof of food safety training, or your employer's signed letter confirming your training, before the food handler exam
Step by step
Work out which papers your job needs
If you work in food handling, a barber shop, a beauty salon or a health club, you need the MOPH health certificate. This covers cooks, waiters, bakers, kitchen cleaners, supermarket food staff, barbers, hairdressers, beauticians and gym or spa staff. If you handle food, MOPH also runs the food handler licence, with a separate exam for each role (for example cook, waiter, storekeeper, chef or person in charge). Ask your manager which of the two your employer is arranging and by when. Your employer usually pays for both, so ask before paying anything yourself.
Sort your residence papers first
The health certificate is separate from the residence medical and fingerprints that every new worker does for the QID, so passing one does not cover the other. You can apply as a newcomer with your entry visa and original passport, but renewals need a valid residence permit. Get your QID process moving straight away, because the food handler licence is issued only to people with a QID. Keep copies of your visa, passport and QID on your phone; you will be asked for them more than once.
Read guide: Residence medical exam and fingerprints in Qatar →Fill in the health certificate form with your employer
MOPH uses one application form for food handlers, barbers, beauty salon staff and health club staff. You tick the type: new, renewal, temporary, replacement of a lost or damaged certificate, change of sponsor or change of job title. Your employer adds the sponsor details, establishment card number and the branch where you work, then signs and stamps the form. Check that your name, passport number and job title match your papers exactly; a mismatch is the most common reason for being sent back.
Book and pay for the health check
Health checks are booked through the Medical Commission's e-services portal, usually by the company account, which can register many staff at once. The company uploads each worker's details and photo, pays the QAR 20 fee per person by card, then picks a centre, date and time. Print the payment receipt and the appointment and bring them with you. Keep the original receipt safe: you show it again when you collect the certificate.
Go to your health check
Arrive early with your passport or QID, the printed form, photos, vaccination card and receipt. A doctor asks about your health history, such as long diarrhoea, jaundice, skin problems, a long cough or contact with tuberculosis or typhoid. You then have a physical check (skin, hair, nails, teeth, eyes, ears, chest), a chest X-ray and blood tests that include HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The doctor may also advise or give typhoid or hepatitis vaccines, or refer you to a clinic. Plan for the visit to take 1 to 3 hours.
Get your result and keep the certificate at work
Results usually come back within 24 to 72 hours, and they normally go to your employer's account. If you are fit, the health certificate is issued and your employer keeps a copy. Municipality and MOPH inspectors visit restaurants, salons and gyms and check that every worker on site has valid papers, so keep a copy at your workplace and a photo on your phone. If something needs follow-up, such as a repeat test, do it quickly so you are not kept off work for long.
Food staff: get registered on WATHEQ
For the food handler licence, your employer first registers the company and each food handler on WATHEQ, the MOPH electronic food safety system, using the company's CR. Registration is free. Your employer also opens an account on the Qatar Chamber food handler platform, which is where the exam is booked and results appear. You do not need your own account; make sure your employer has your correct QID, name and job role.
Train for the food safety exam
The exam checks the basics of safe food: personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitising, safe storage, cooking and chilling temperatures and stopping cross-contamination. MOPH publishes study materials on its food safety pages in Arabic and English. Your employer can train you in-house and send a signed and stamped letter confirming it, or book a Qatar Chamber course (QAR 150 per person at your workplace, QAR 200 at a training centre). If you attend at least 80% of a Chamber course you get an attendance certificate.
Sit the exam for your role
Your employer books the exam either through the Qatar Chamber platform (QAR 50 per person per attempt, taken in person at the Chamber) or through Prometric test centres after WATHEQ registration. Pick the exam that matches your real job, because cooks, waiters, storekeepers and supervisors take different tests. The exam is multiple choice and offered in Arabic and English. Results show in the company account, not to you directly, so ask your manager. If you fail, your employer must book and pay for a new attempt.
Get the food handler licence issued
Once you pass, your employer applies for the licence through its Qatar Chamber account and pays the QAR 50 issuance fee. They need your photo on a white background (5 x 6 cm) and your QID. The licence is valid for 3 years from the date your result appears in the company account. Ask for a copy for your own records, as it helps when you change jobs within the food sector.
Renew on time and update when you change jobs
Put both expiry dates in your phone. The health certificate is usually renewed every year, and the renewal needs a valid residence permit and a copy of the old certificate. If you move to a new employer or change job title, a new application (change of sponsor or change of job title) is needed even if your old certificate has not expired. If you lose it, apply for a replacement rather than working without it. For the food handler licence, your employer applies for renewal before the 3 years run out, under the conditions MOPH sets at the time.
Read guide: Changing jobs in Qatar without an NOC →
What it costs
| Health certificate medical check (per person) | QAR 20 |
| Qatar Chamber food handler exam (per person, per attempt) | QAR 50 |
| Food handler licence issuance | QAR 50 |
| Optional Qatar Chamber training: at your workplace / at a training centre (per person) | QAR 150 / QAR 200 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Thinking the residence medical for your QID also counts as your health certificate. They are separate checks.
- Mixing up the health certificate (yearly medical check) and the food handler licence (exam, valid 3 years). Food staff are expected to have both.
- Working after the health certificate has expired. Inspectors check papers on site, and the business can be penalised or closed under the food law.
- Booking the wrong exam role, for example the waiter test when you work as a cook.
- Paying fees yourself without asking. These are normally your employer's costs, and the bookings are made through the company account.
- Forgetting to apply again after changing employer or job title, or losing the original payment receipt you need to collect the certificate.
- Using names or passport numbers that do not match your papers exactly on the form.
Questions people ask
Is the health certificate the same as the food handler licence?
No. The health certificate is a medical check by the MOPH Medical Commission for food, barber, beauty salon and health club workers. The food handler licence is a separate MOPH permit for food staff, earned by passing a food safety exam, and it lasts 3 years. Food staff are expected to hold both.
Can I start work before I get the health certificate?
You should not handle food or customers until you are cleared, because inspectors can act against both you and the business. In the past MOPH has issued temporary certificates for newcomers found medically fit, and the form still has a 'temporary' option. Ask your employer to book the check as soon as you arrive.
How long is the health certificate valid?
It is usually renewed every year. Check the expiry date printed on yours and renew before it runs out. Renewals need a valid residence permit and a copy of the old certificate.
I changed jobs. Do I need a new health certificate?
Yes, the MOPH form has separate options for a change of sponsor and a change of job title, so your new employer applies again even if your old certificate has not expired. Your food handler licence is personal to the exam you passed, but your new employer must have you registered on WATHEQ under their company.
Can I take the food handler exam in my home country before coming to Qatar?
Since September 2026, MOPH lets candidates sit the food handler exam at accredited centres in several countries. If you pass abroad, your new employer can complete the licence without you retaking the exam in Qatar. It is optional for now and not a condition for recruitment; the list of centres is on the MOPH website.
What happens if I fail the food handler exam?
Your employer has to register you for a new exam date and pay the fee again. Use the result report to see which areas you were weak in, such as temperatures or cleaning, and study the MOPH materials before the next attempt.
Who pays for the health certificate and the food handler licence?
The bookings are made through your employer's company account and are normally paid by the employer. The fixed fees are small (QAR 20 for the medical check, QAR 50 for the Chamber exam and QAR 50 for the licence). If you are asked to pay, ask for a receipt and check your contract; you can raise a dispute with the Ministry of Labour.
I sell home-cooked food from home. Do I need this?
Home food sellers are licensed through the home business licence route, which has its own health and hygiene conditions. Start with that guide and ask the licensing office which health papers they require for food.
Official sources
- Qatar Chamber: food handlers certification and licence programme (fees, exam, licence) ↗
- Prometric: MOPH food handlers exam (roles, WATHEQ registration, booking) ↗
- QNA, Sept 2026: MOPH launches food handler exam outside Qatar ↗
- Gulf Times: food handlers need to pass MOPH tests ↗
- QIC: how to get a food handling certificate in Qatar ↗
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