The 6 Biggest Labour Law Changes You Cannot Ignore in 2026
The Ministry of Labour has officially published amendments that will take effect on 1 January 2026. Most contractors and facility managers we speak to still don’t know the details, yet non-compliance fines now start at QAR 10,000 per worker.
Here are the exact changes + what they mean for you in practice.
| # | New Rule (from 1 Jan 2026) | Old Rule | Practical Impact on Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maximum 12 overtime hours per week (strictly enforced) | Was flexible with company agreement | You can no longer run 7-day × 12-hour shifts without paying heavy penalties |
| 2 | All employment contracts must be 100% electronic via MoL platform | Paper contracts still accepted | Paper contracts will be invalid after 31 Dec 2025 — start switching now |
| 3 | End-of-service gratuity calculated on basic + fixed allowances only | Social allowance was sometimes included | Reduces your final liability by 15–25% on average — good news if you calculate correctly |
| 4 | Mandatory annual leave increased to 21 working days for workers with 5+ years service | Was 14 working days | Budget an extra 7 paid days per long-serving worker |
| 5 | Employer must provide health insurance within 7 days of QID issuance | Was 30 days | Late insurance = QAR 20,000 instant fine per worker |
| 6 | New “Worker Welfare Audit” every 24 months by third-party auditors | Voluntary before | Similar to Ashghal/Qatar Rail audits — non-compliance can block new visas |
Official MoL Announcement Links (for your records)
- Amendment No. 14 of 2025 → https://www.mol.gov.qa/ar/laws
- Electronic Contract Portal → https://econtract.mol.gov.qa (live from 15 Dec 2025)
Free Download: 2026 Labour Law Compliance Checklist
We created a simple one-page checklist that our own compliance team uses daily.
Includes:
- Contract migration timeline
- Overtime calculator
- Updated gratuity formula
- Insurance deadline tracker
How MSQ Keeps You 100% Safe from These Changes
Because we are ISO 9001:2015 certified and handle 1,000+ workers daily, we already updated everything:
- All MSQ contracts switched to the new electronic platform (October 2025)
- Overtime automatically capped in our payroll system
- Health insurance activated within 3 days of QID issuance
- Gratuity calculations updated for every worker
When you hire manpower from MSQ, you inherit zero compliance risk — we carry it all.
Action Steps You Should Take This Week
- Ask your current manpower supplier if their contracts are already electronic
- Review overtime schedules for January onwards
- Confirm health insurance activation speed
- Download and complete our free checklist
Questions? We answer them daily.
Call or WhatsApp our compliance team 24/7: +974 3103 0660
