Joined before 2005? How your Qatar gratuity is calculated
Short answer: yes, your years before 2005 still count. But Qatar's current Labour Law only took effect on 6 January 2005, so the period before that date is likely to be calculated under the old Labour Law No. 3 of 1962 and your original contract, not the current 21-days-a-year rule.
Two laws, two periods
Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 replaced the 1962 law and came into force on 6 January 2005. Law firms advising in Qatar, including Clyde & Co, say end-of-service pay for service up to that date will most probably follow the 1962 law. So a long-serving employee's gratuity can have two parts:
| Period | Rule that applies | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Before 6 Jan 2005 | Law No. 3 of 1962 and your contract | Depends on the old law and what you agreed |
| From 6 Jan 2005 | Law No. 14 of 2004, Article 54 | At least 21 days of basic salary per year |
How the old law differed
- It could pay more. The 1962 law's rate increased after five years of service, while today's minimum stays at 21 days a year however long you work.
- It allowed opting out. A foreign employee of a Qatari-owned company could agree in writing to give up end-of-service pay. Gratuity could also be refused where either side ended the job for gross misconduct. Neither is allowed under the current law.
So for the years before 2005, your original contract matters. If it promised an end-of-service benefit, that is the starting point. If you signed a waiver back then, that period may not be paid.
Example
An employee joined on 1 March 1998 and leaves on 31 December 2025, with a last basic salary of 12,000 QAR (400 QAR a day).
| Period | Years | At today's 21-day minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1998 to 5 Jan 2005 | 6.85 | 57,557 QAR |
| 6 Jan 2005 to 31 Dec 2025 | 20.99 | 176,285 QAR |
| Whole service | 27.84 | 233,842 QAR |
The 176,285 QAR for service from 2005 is the legal minimum. The 57,557 QAR for the earlier years is only a reference point: under the old law and the contract, that part could be higher, or in rare cases nothing.
Using the calculator
The calculator below applies today's rule to your whole service. If your start date is before 6 January 2005, it shows a reminder. To see the post-2005 minimum on its own, set the start date to 6 January 2005.
What to do
- Find your original contract and any later contracts or letters about end-of-service pay.
- Ask your employer in writing how it will calculate the years before 2005, and which law and rate it is using.
- If the answer seems wrong or you signed a waiver years ago, get advice from the Ministry of Labour or a Qatari employment lawyer before you sign a final settlement. Claims must be made within one year of the contract ending.
Government employees, Qatari nationals in the pension system and some other groups are covered by different rules.