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Probation period in Qatar: the rules for workers and employers

How long probation can last in Qatar, how much notice each side must give to end the contract during it, what happens if you move to another employer or leave the country, and what you are owed.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Maximum length
6 months, once per employer, no extension
Employer ends it
At least 1 month's written notice, plus return ticket
You move jobs
1 month's notice; new employer pays up to 2 months' basic wage
You leave Qatar
Notice as agreed, no more than 2 months

Most job contracts in Qatar start with a probation period: a trial of up to 6 months in which either side can end the contract more easily than later on. The rules are set by Article 39 of the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), as changed by the 2020 reforms, and the 2026 amendments (Law No. 9 of 2026) added that a non-compete clause cannot be used if the job ends during probation. This guide is for private-sector employees and their employers; domestic workers have shorter, separate rules covered near the end. Read it in order: check your contract, learn the limits and your rights during probation, then the three ways probation can end early (the employer ends it, you move to another employer, or you leave Qatar), and finally what you are owed and where to get help.

Before you start

  • Your signed employment contract as authenticated by the Ministry of Labour (MOL), with the probation clause and your start date
  • Your offer letter, if it says anything different from the contract about probation
  • Your latest payslips, showing your basic wage separately from allowances (notice pay and compensation are based on the basic wage)
  • Any written notice you gave or received, with the date it was sent
  • A Qatar mobile number in your own name and an active National Authentication System (NAS, also called Tawtheeq) login for the MOL portal
  • If you are moving jobs: a written offer from the new employer and its written agreement to pay the recruitment compensation
  • If you are leaving Qatar: your passport, a plan for your final settlement, and a forwarding address for any payments

Step by step

  1. Find the probation clause in your contract

    Probation only applies if your employment contract says so. Article 39 of the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004) lets the employer and worker agree a probation period in the contract, so look for a clause that names it and gives its length, for example '3 months' or '6 months'. Check the start date too: probation runs from your first day of work, not from the day you signed or the day your Qatar ID (QID) was issued. If your contract has no probation clause, you are not on probation. Keep a copy of the contract as authenticated by the Ministry of Labour (MOL), because that is the version that counts in a dispute.

  2. Know the legal limits

    Probation can last at most 6 months from the day you start work. The law also says a worker can be put on probation only once with the same employer. That means an employer cannot start a new probation when you get a new contract, a promotion or a new job title with the same company. The law sets a maximum and does not provide for extending probation beyond 6 months; any clause that does is not valid on that point. If your contract gives a shorter period, such as 3 months, ask HR in writing before signing anything that changes it, and get legal advice if they try to stretch it.

  3. Know your rights during probation

    During probation you are a full employee. You must be paid your full agreed wage on time through the Wage Protection System (WPS), work normal legal hours, and get overtime pay, rest days and public holidays like everyone else. Your employer must also arrange your work permit, QID and health card. Probation is a trial of whether you can do the job; it is not a lower-paid or unpaid period. If your salary is late or unpaid during probation, you can complain to the MOL in the same way as any other worker.

    Read guide: Working hours, overtime pay and weekly rest in Qatar →

  4. If your employer ends the contract during probation

    The employer may end your contract during probation if it has shown that you are not capable of doing the work. Since the 2020 reforms (Law No. 18 of 2020), the employer must give you at least 1 month's written notice; the old rule of 3 days no longer applies. The notice is made through the MOL electronic system, and you keep working and being paid during that month. If the employer wants you to leave at once, it must pay you your basic wage for the notice period instead. If you are an expatriate worker, the employer must also pay for your return ticket home.

  5. If you want to move to another employer in Qatar

    You can change jobs during probation without your employer's permission (No Objection Certificate, NOC). You must give at least 1 month's notice, through the MOL online change-of-employer request, and keep working until the notice ends unless your employer agrees in writing to release you early. The new employer, not you, must compensate your current employer for part of the recruitment fees and your one-way air ticket. That compensation cannot be more than 2 months of your current basic wage. Agree this with the new employer before you submit the request, and see the change-job guide for the full process.

    Read guide: Changing jobs in Qatar without an NOC →

  6. If you want to resign and leave Qatar

    If you want to end your contract during probation and leave the country, you must tell your employer in writing. The notice period is the one agreed in your contract, but it cannot be more than 2 months, and you must keep working until it ends. If you stop work early, you must pay the employer your basic wage for the part of the notice you did not serve, up to a maximum of 2 months' basic wage. For example, with a basic wage of QAR 1,500 a month, leaving 2 weeks early costs QAR 750. A worker who leaves Qatar without honouring the notice rules can be refused a new work permit for 1 year from the date of departure.

    Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →

  7. Understand leave and sick days during probation

    Your probation counts as part of your service, because service is counted from your first day with the employer. Annual leave is earned once you complete one continuous year, so most people cannot demand paid annual leave during probation; some employers allow it as company policy. Paid sick leave starts after 3 months of service: 2 weeks on full pay, then 4 weeks on half pay, with a medical certificate. So if your probation is 6 months, you have a right to paid sick leave in the second half of it. Public holidays are paid from day one.

    Read guide: Annual leave, sick leave and leave salary in Qatar →

  8. Check what you are owed if it ends early

    End-of-service gratuity is due only after you have completed at least 1 year of service, so a contract that ends during probation normally does not give gratuity. You are still owed every unpaid wage up to your last day, pay for any notice you were not allowed to work, any overtime, and anything else your contract promises. If you stay on after probation, the probation months count towards your year of service and your gratuity later. Ask HR for a written final settlement and check it against your payslips.

    Work it out: work out your leave salary ↗

    Read guide: End-of-service gratuity in Qatar: how it is worked out and how to claim it →

  9. Know that a non-compete clause falls away

    Many contracts include a non-compete clause that stops you working for a competitor after you leave. Under Law No. 9 of 2026, which took effect on 25 July 2026, a non-compete clause is void and cannot be applied if your employment ends during probation. Outside probation, the same law allows such clauses for up to 2 years, but they need MOL approval to be enforced. If a former employer threatens you with a non-compete after a probation exit, ask them in writing which rule they rely on and get legal advice.

  10. If you are a domestic worker

    House helpers, nannies and family drivers are covered by the Domestic Workers Law (Law No. 15 of 2017), not by the rules above. Under Ministerial Decision No. 39 of 2018, their probation is 3 months from the first day of work, cannot be extended, and can be used only once with the same employer unless a new contract covers a different type of domestic work. The employer may end the contract during probation if the worker is not suitable, and probation counts towards annual leave and end-of-service gratuity. Since January 2022, recruitment offices must also give employers a further 6-month guarantee period (9 months in all) with a partial refund; this is between the employer and the office and does not reduce the worker's rights.

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

  11. Put everything in writing and get help if needed

    Give and ask for every notice in writing, and keep emails, SMS messages, the MOL request number and your payslips. Do not sign a resignation letter, a settlement or a 'final clearance' you do not agree with. If your employer refuses to pay wages, holds your passport, or ends your contract without the notice the law requires, you can file a complaint with the MOL, which will first try to settle it and can then send it to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee. Act quickly, especially if your residence permit is about to be cancelled.

    Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →

Common mistakes

  • Thinking the employer can still end probation with 3 days' notice; since 2020 it is at least 1 month
  • Agreeing to 'extend' probation beyond 6 months, or to a second probation after a promotion or new contract with the same employer
  • Walking out during probation without serving notice, which can mean paying compensation and a 1-year ban on a new work permit if you leave Qatar
  • Paying the recruitment compensation yourself when you move jobs; the law puts it on the new employer
  • Assuming you have no rights during probation and accepting late or reduced salary
  • Signing a resignation letter or final settlement you do not agree with to 'make things easier'
  • Domestic workers' employers confusing the recruitment office's 9-month guarantee with the worker's legal probation of 3 months

Questions people ask

Can my employer fire me during probation with only 3 days' notice?

No. The 3-day rule was in the original 2004 law but was replaced by Law No. 18 of 2020. Now the employer must give at least 1 month's written notice, or pay your basic wage for that month instead, and pay your return ticket if you are an expatriate. If you were given less, keep the termination message and raise it with HR or file an MOL complaint.

Can my probation be extended after 6 months?

No. The law caps probation at 6 months from your first day of work and allows only one probation with the same employer. Once 6 months have passed, you are no longer on probation, whatever a later letter says. If your contract set a shorter period, any change should be agreed in writing and still cannot go past the 6-month cap.

Do I get gratuity if my contract ends during probation?

Usually not, because end-of-service gratuity is only due after at least 1 year of service, and probation lasts at most 6 months. You are still owed unpaid wages, notice pay and anything your contract promises. If you stay on after probation, those months count towards your gratuity later.

Can I change jobs while I am still on probation?

Yes. You do not need a No Objection Certificate. You give at least 1 month's notice through the MOL change-of-employer request, and the new employer pays your current employer compensation of up to 2 months of your basic wage for recruitment costs and your ticket.

Can the recruitment compensation be taken from my salary?

The law puts the duty to compensate on the new employer, not on you. Ask the new employer to confirm in writing that it will pay. If anyone asks you to repay recruitment fees, keep the evidence and raise it with the MOL, because charging recruitment fees to workers is not allowed in Qatar.

I got a new contract after a promotion. Can they put me on probation again?

No. Article 39 says a worker cannot be put on probation more than once with the same employer. A new title or new contract with the same company does not start a new probation.

Does probation count towards my annual leave?

Yes. Your service is counted from your first day of work, including probation. You become entitled to annual leave after one continuous year, and paid sick leave starts after 3 months of service.

If I resign during probation and leave Qatar, can I come back to work later?

Yes, if you gave the notice in your contract (no more than 2 months) and either worked it or paid the basic wage for the part you did not work. A worker who leaves without honouring the notice rules can be refused a new work permit for 1 year from the date they left.

Official sources

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

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