As part of the efforts aimed at protecting the interests of employers and employees alike, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) issued on August 30, 2020 the Law No. 17 of 2020 on the Non-discriminatory Minimum Wage and Removing the No-Objection Certificate.
The law published in Qatar’s Official Gazette on 9 September and took effect in March 2021. According to, Law No. 17 of 2020 on Setting the Minimum Wage for Workers and Domestic Workers sets the minimum wage for all private sector workers, including domestic workers, at QR1,000 per month as a basic wage, as well as QR500 per month allocated by the employer for accommodation expenses and QR300 per month for food, unless the employer already provides adequate food or accommodation for the employee or domestic worker.
The new law removes the requirement to obtain a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) which had been a component of the sponsorship system cancelled in 2015, and the law No 17/2020 is a major step forward in the process of labour reform programme Qatar working on for years.
The following are question and answers developed by the MADLSA to introduce the new law and raise awareness among the employees and employers alike to ensure proper implementation of the law.
What is the new minimum wage?
When the new minimum wage comes into force, your employer will be legally required to pay you a basic wage of no less than QAR 1,000 a month and provide you with decent accommodation and food.
There are three different rates for the minimum wage. If your employer provides you with decent food and accommodation, you are entitled to a basic wage of at least QR1,000.
If your employer provides you with decent accommodation but does not provide you with food, you are entitled to a food allowance of no less than QR300 on top of a basic wage of at least QR1,000. In this case, you should receive at least QR1,300 per month.
If your employer does not provide you with accommodation or food, you are entitled to allowances of no less than QR300 for food and QR500 for accommodation on top of a basic wage of at least QR1,000. In this case, you should receive at least QAR 1,800 per month.
