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Maternity leave and nursing hours in Qatar
What working mothers in the private sector are entitled to under the Labour Law: 50 days of paid maternity leave after one year of service, a paid nursing hour for a year, and protection from dismissal, plus how government jobs differ.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Paid leave (private sector)
- 50 days on full pay, at least 35 of them after the birth
- Who qualifies
- Women with one full year of service with the same employer
- Nursing hour
- 1 paid hour per working day for one year after the birth
- Government jobs
- Different law: about 3 months on full pay since October 2025
If you work for a private company in Qatar and you are expecting a baby, the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004) gives you 50 days of maternity leave on full pay once you have worked one full year for your employer, plus one paid nursing hour every working day for a year after the birth. Your employer may not dismiss you because you married or because you took maternity leave. These are minimums: your contract or company policy can give you more, but never less. Government employees are covered by a different law, the Civil Human Resources Law, which was amended in October 2025 and is more generous. This guide walks you through the order of things: checking your entitlement, telling HR, planning the dates, the nursing hour when you return, and what to do if your employer does not respect the rules. For the hospital side of having a baby, see the having-a-baby guide.
Before you start
- Your employment contract and any company HR policy or staff handbook (it may give more than the law)
- Your exact start date with this employer, so you can confirm you will have one full year of service before you go on leave
- A medical certificate from a licensed doctor stating your expected delivery date (from your PHCC health centre, HMC Women's Wellness and Research Center or a private hospital)
- Your current annual leave balance, in case you want to add it to your maternity leave
- A short written request for leave (email or the company HR form) with your planned start and return dates
- Your QID and a valid health card, for antenatal appointments and the birth
- Copies of any emails or letters from your employer about your leave or your job, kept somewhere safe
Step by step
Check which law covers you
Most expats and Qataris working for private companies are covered by the Labour Law, and that is what this guide is about. Government ministries and public bodies follow the Civil Human Resources Law instead, and some semi-government companies have their own regulations. Domestic workers are covered by a separate Domestic Workers Law, not the Labour Law. If you are not sure, look at the law named in your contract or ask HR which rules apply.
Confirm you have one year of service
Paid maternity leave under the Labour Law is for women who have worked a full year for the same employer. Count from your actual start date, not from when your residence permit was issued. If you will reach one year before your leave starts, you qualify for full pay. If you will not, the law does not guarantee paid maternity leave, so ask HR in writing what they will give you: many companies grant paid or unpaid leave by policy, and you can also use any annual leave you have built up.
Read guide: Annual leave, sick leave and leave salary in Qatar →Get a medical certificate with your due date
The law grants maternity leave on the basis of a certificate from a licensed doctor stating the expected date of delivery. Ask your doctor at your PHCC health centre, HMC Women's Wellness and Research Center or your private hospital for this during an antenatal visit. Keep a copy for yourself and give one to HR. If you are under a private clinic, make sure the certificate is stamped and shows the doctor's name.
Read guide: Having a baby in Qatar: antenatal care, hospitals and costs →Tell HR in writing and agree the dates
Send HR a short email with your due date, your planned last working day and your expected return date, and attach the certificate. Doing it in writing protects you if there is a disagreement later. Many women tell their employer around the second trimester so cover can be arranged, but the law does not set a deadline. Ask HR to confirm in writing how many days you will get and that your salary will be paid in full.
Plan the 50 days around the birth
The 50 days cover the time before and after the birth, but at least 35 days must be taken after the baby is born. In practice, if you stop work 15 days before your due date you have 35 days left for afterwards; if you work closer to the due date, more days move to after the birth. Babies rarely arrive on the due date, so leave some margin. Your maternity leave does not reduce your other leave entitlements.
Add annual leave if you want more time
If the days left after the birth are not enough, the law lets you top up with annual leave from your balance; if you have no annual leave left, the extra time is unpaid. Many mothers ask to attach their full annual leave to the end of maternity leave so they get two to two and a half months at home. Your employer normally has to agree the dates of annual leave, so ask early and get the answer in writing.
Read guide: Annual leave, sick leave and leave salary in Qatar →Know what happens if you are ill
If you are unwell during pregnancy before your leave starts, ordinary sick leave rules apply with a medical certificate. If you cannot return to work after maternity leave because of an illness linked to the pregnancy or birth, the law allows you to be absent without pay for up to 60 days in total, consecutive or not, provided a licensed doctor certifies it. Send the certificate to HR straight away so the absence is recorded properly.
Read guide: Sick leave in Qatar: how many days, how it's paid, and the certificate →Register the birth and sort the paperwork
While you are on leave, the baby needs a birth certificate, then a passport from your embassy and a residence permit, usually within a set time after birth. This is separate from your leave but often needs your HR or PRO to issue a salary certificate or no-objection letter, so ask for these before you go off. Follow the birth-certificate guide for the steps.
Read guide: Newborn in Qatar: birth certificate, passport and residence permit →Use your nursing hour when you return
For one year after the birth you are entitled to a nursing break of one hour every working day, on top of your normal rest break, and it is paid. The law lets the mother choose when to take it, so many women start an hour late or leave an hour early. Tell HR in writing which hour you will use so it is recorded on the timesheet or attendance system. Your salary must not be cut because of it.
Arrange childcare before your return date
Many nurseries in Doha have waiting lists, especially for babies under one year, so start looking while you are still pregnant. Check the nursery is licensed and ask about the minimum age they accept. Your nursing hour can make drop-off and pick-up easier in the first year.
Read guide: Finding a nursery in Qatar: licensing, fees and what to check →Know your protection from dismissal
Your employer may not end your contract because you married or because you took maternity leave. It also may not give you notice of termination during your maternity leave, or send a notice that would expire during the leave. This does not stop a contract ending for unrelated, lawful reasons, but if you are dismissed around your pregnancy, keep every email and letter.
Read guide: Dismissed by your employer in Qatar: notice, Article 61 and your rights →Complain to the Ministry of Labour if needed
If your employer refuses paid leave you are entitled to, cuts your salary for the nursing hour, or dismisses you because of your pregnancy or leave, first raise it with HR in writing. If that does not work, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour online, and the case may be referred to a Labour Disputes Settlement Committee. Unpaid salary during maternity leave is also visible through the Wage Protection System.
Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →
Common mistakes
- Counting one year from the residence permit date instead of your actual start date with the employer
- Taking too many of the 50 days before the birth: at least 35 days must be after delivery, so a late baby can eat into your paid time
- Agreeing leave dates only by phone or WhatsApp with a manager and not getting written confirmation from HR
- Assuming government-sector rules (around 3 months) apply to a private company job
- Not asking early to attach annual leave, then finding the employer will not approve it at short notice
- Not telling HR which hour you will use for nursing, so it shows up as late arrival or early leaving
- Changing employers during pregnancy without realising the one-year service count usually starts again with the new employer
Questions people ask
How many days of maternity leave do I get in a private company in Qatar?
50 days on full pay, covering before and after the birth, provided you have completed one full year with your employer. At least 35 of those days must be after delivery. Your contract or company policy can give you more, but not less.
I have worked less than a year. Do I get any maternity leave?
The Labour Law only guarantees paid maternity leave after one full year of service. Below that, it depends on your contract and company policy: some employers give paid leave anyway, others give unpaid leave. You can also use annual leave you have already earned. Ask HR for their answer in writing.
Can I add my annual leave to maternity leave?
Yes. The law allows you to top up the time after the birth from your annual leave, and many employers will let you attach your full annual balance. Your employer usually has to approve the dates, so ask well in advance. If you have no annual leave left, any extra time is unpaid.
How does the nursing hour work, and is it paid?
For one year after the birth you get one hour a day off for nursing, in addition to your normal break, and it counts as paid working time. The mother chooses when to take it, so you can come in an hour late or leave an hour early. Tell HR in writing so it is recorded.
Can my employer fire me because I am pregnant or on maternity leave?
The law forbids ending your contract because of marriage or because you took maternity leave, and forbids giving you termination notice during the leave. If you believe you were dismissed for these reasons, keep all documents and file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour.
Is there paternity leave for fathers in the private sector?
The Labour Law does not give fathers a paternity leave entitlement. Some companies offer a few days by policy, and fathers can ask to use annual leave around the birth. Check your contract or staff handbook.
My friend in a ministry got three months. Why do I only get 50 days?
Government employees are covered by the Civil Human Resources Law, not the Labour Law. Amendments that took effect in October 2025 give government employees about three months of maternity leave on full pay, with longer leave in cases such as twins or a child with a disability, and remote work options late in pregnancy. Private-sector rules were not changed by those amendments.
What if I cannot go back to work after my leave because of health problems?
If an illness linked to the pregnancy or birth stops you returning, the law lets you be absent without pay for up to 60 days in total, with a certificate from a licensed doctor. Send the certificate to HR immediately so the absence is recorded and not treated as unauthorised.
Official sources
- Al Meezan: Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 (full text) ↗
- Ministry of Labour ↗
- Gulf Times: legal reforms in 2025 including government maternity leave ↗
- Marhaba: Amir issues law amending the Civil HR Law (Oct 2025) ↗
- Mondaq: workplace leave in Qatar ↗
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