At a glance
- Local name
- Work Permit (Labour Card)
- Country
- Qatar
- Process steps
- 8
- Fee items
- 7
- Online portals
- 3
- FAQs
- 9
- Pitfalls covered
- 8
- Last verified
- 2026-06
What is Work Permit (Labour Card) in Qatar?
The work permit, locally referred to as the labour card, is the authorisation issued by the Ministry of Labour (MOL) that allows an expatriate to work for a specific employer in Qatar. It is closely tied to the Residence Permit issued by MOI: an active work permit is the underlying authority that makes a work RP valid, and a work permit can only exist when the employee's profession, contract and category match the employer's licensed activity and labour quota. Both the work permit and the RP renew on the same annual (or multi-year) cycle.
Following Law No. 21 of 2015 as amended in 2020 (a package widely referred to as the 'kafala reforms'), expatriate workers can transfer to a new employer without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by serving the contractual notice period (typically one month during the probation period and two months thereafter), notifying the Ministry of Labour through the unified online platform, and allowing the new employer to file the work-permit transfer. The reforms also introduced a non-discriminatory minimum wage of QAR 1,000 plus QAR 500 housing and QAR 300 food (where not provided in kind), and introduced the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund to cover unpaid wages in dispute cases.
Operationally, every work permit transaction starts on the MOL e-contract system, where the employment contract is uploaded on the standard ministry template in Arabic and English, signed by both parties, and registered against the employer's Computer Card and the worker's profession code. The contract reference flows from MOL to MOI, where it underpins the RP application or transfer. Skilled professional categories must additionally have their educational certificates attested by MOFA Qatar and, in some cases, evaluated by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for equivalency to Qatari standards.
The 2026 picture is largely stable after the reform turbulence. New permits typically issue in three to six weeks end to end from entry-visa request to QID in hand, which lines up with the residency timeline. Transfers take four to eight weeks because of the notice period that has to elapse before the new employer can file. Specific occupations classified as 'essential' (a category capped at five percent of the labour force under the law) still require sponsor-side notification for travel; everyone else can travel freely on a valid QID with no exit permit, having put to rest the old kafala constraint.
Two operational pain points have not gone away. First, an employer can still file an absconding report (huroob, locally 'taghayyub') with MOI when a worker stops attending without lawful reason. The worker has seven working days to contest such a report at the Labour Disputes Resolution Committee; failure to contest leads to RP cancellation, a fine and possible re-entry ban. Second, wage protection through the Wage Protection System (WPS) is a hard requirement: salaries must be paid through Qatari bank accounts in QAR, and chronic late payment is itself a labour offence that the worker can report through the MOL portal.
Costs sit on the employer's side by law. The QAR 500 work permit fee, the QAR 100 contract attestation, the QAR 100 medical commission test and the QAR 500 RP issuance fee are all employer obligations; charging them to the worker is a labour offence under Law No. 21 of 2015. Despite that, ad-hoc invoices for 'visa processing' still circulate in informal segments, especially through agencies overseas. Workers seeing such charges should refuse and report through the MOL hotline (16008) or through the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund.
What documents do I need for Work Permit (Labour Card)?
Bring originals AND coloured photocopies of every item. Files are rejected at counter for a single missing page or unattested certificate.
Documents required
- ✓Valid passport with at least 6 months remaining and at least 2 blank pages
- ✓Approved entry visa for new hires, or current QID for transfers
- ✓Employment contract on the MOL standard template, signed and uploaded to the MOL e-contract system
- ✓Educational certificates (degree, professional certification) attested by MOFA Qatar for skilled categories
- ✓Medical commission fitness certificate from the PHCC Medical Commission
- ✓Biometric capture receipt from MOI Evidences and Criminal Information Department
- ✓Employer's valid Computer Card (establishment card) with active labour quota
- ✓Photograph (passport-size, white background) for the worker file
Eligibility
- →Employer holds a valid Computer Card and has an open labour quota for the requested profession
- →Worker matches the approved profession on the labour quota and the entry visa
- →Worker is medically fit (no TB, HIV or other disqualifying conditions)
- →Notice period has been served for inter-employer transfers (typically 1 month during probation, 2 months thereafter)
- →No outstanding absconding report or labour ban against the worker
- →Worker has consented to the contract terms through the MOL e-contract system
How much does Work Permit (Labour Card) cost in Qatar in 2026?
Government fees current to 2026-06. All payments via the relevant portal wallet or SADAD-equivalent rail; service-centre cash counters typically charge a small extra typing fee.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit (per worker, employer-paid) | 500 QAR | Standard MOL fee; confirm current amount on adlsa.gov.qa or portal.moi.gov.qa. |
| Contract attestation (employer-paid) | 100 QAR | Through the MOL e-contract system, embedded in the workflow. |
| Work permit transfer fee | 500 QAR | Payable by the new employer. |
| Medical commission test | 100 QAR | Standard PHCC package; PHCC express option costs more. |
| MOFA degree attestation (per document) | 50-200 QAR | For skilled professional categories; confirm on the MOFA Qatar portal. |
| Educational equivalency | Varies QAR | Via Ministry of Education and Higher Education; required for certain professions. |
| WPS late-pay penalty (employer) | From 6,000 QAR | Per worker per month of WPS non-compliance; doubles on repeat offences. |
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How do I apply for Work Permit (Labour Card) step by step?
The end-to-end flow for Work Permit (Labour Card) in Qatar. Total wall-clock time: New permits: 3-6 weeks end to end (entry visa to QID in hand), assuming clean documentation. Transfers: 4-8 weeks including notice period. Absconding-report disputes: 4-12 weeks to resolve at the committee. Renewal cycle: instant on the MOL side once medical and WPS items are confirmed, then immediately reflected in the linked RP on Metrash..
- 1
Employer requests entry visa
Employer logs into portal.moi.gov.qa and confirms an open labour quota for the requested profession, then files a work entry visa request with the worker's passport and profession code. The visa is approved within 1-3 weeks depending on category. New arrivals collect the printed entry visa from a Qatari embassy or generate it electronically through the Qatar Visa Centre (QVC) network in their home country.
⏱ 1-3 weeks📍 online - 2
Sign the standard MOL contract and upload to e-contract
On arrival, the worker signs the standard Arabic-English MOL contract template provided by the employer. HR uploads the signed contract to the MOL e-contract system with the worker's profession code, salary breakdown (basic plus housing plus food) and contract duration. The worker receives an SMS to confirm consent through the MOL system. Contracts that do not match the entry visa profession are bounced back and must be corrected before any RP filing.
⏱ Same week📍 online - 3
Medical and biometrics
Worker visits the PHCC Medical Commission for the standard package (blood, chest X-ray), then attends MOI Evidences and Criminal Information Department for fingerprint and photo capture. Results upload to the MOL/MOI feed within 2-5 working days for medical and within 1-2 days for biometrics.
⏱ 1 week📍 center - 4
Work permit issued by MOL
Once the contract, medical and biometrics statuses are 'green' on the MOL dashboard, the Ministry of Labour issues the work permit and signals MOI to link it to the worker's new RP. The QID prints within 2-5 working days after the RP step finalises.
⏱ 1-2 weeks📍 online - 5
Wage Protection System onboarding
HR opens a Qatari bank account for the worker (in many cases on QID issuance day) and registers the worker on the Wage Protection System under the employer's WPS file. Salaries from then on must be paid through WPS in QAR; any chronic late payment can be reported by the worker on the MOL portal or via the 16008 hotline.
⏱ Same week as QID📍 either - 6
Transfer to a new employer (no NOC)
Resign through Metrash > 'Labour Services' > 'Notice of Termination', serving the contractual notice (typically 1 month during probation, 2 months thereafter). The Ministry of Labour notifies the current employer and the new one. The new employer files the work permit transfer on portal.moi.gov.qa once the notice period elapses; the underlying QID is amended rather than cancelled, so dependents and bank accounts remain stable.
⏱ 1-2 months end to end📍 online - 7
Contest an absconding (huroob) report
If the employer files an absconding report (huroob/taghayyub) while you are still in the country, you have 7 working days to contest at the Labour Disputes Resolution Committee or the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund. Bring proof of attendance, payslips, MOL e-contract printouts and any messages showing the dispute. Failure to contest within 7 days leads to RP cancellation, a fine and possible re-entry ban.
⏱ 7 working days to file, 4-12 weeks to resolve📍 center - 8
Annual renewal cycle
Work permits are renewed annually together with the RP. The employer's PRO files renewal through the MOL portal; the system pre-checks the medical, WPS and tax-related items, then signals MOI to renew the linked RP. If the worker's RP is renewed via Metrash, the underlying work permit must already be in 'active' status; otherwise the RP screen blocks. Schedule the work permit renewal at least 30 days before the RP renewal window.
⏱ Same week through MOL📍 online
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Which portal do I use for Work Permit (Labour Card) in Qatar?
These official portals handle Work Permit (Labour Card) for Qatar. Each page on Wathim has the login flow, common errors and sibling fallback when one is down.
Work entry visa, RP linkage to the work permit, cancellation on exit
Portal guide →Worker-side status check, notice of termination filing, fine payment, status of MOL transactions
Portal guide →National portal collecting MOL work-permit, ADLSA and MOI residence services for employer files.
Portal guide →💡 Most work permit paperwork is handled by the employer's PRO through MOL and MOI portals; typing centres remain useful for individual document preparation, MOFA appointment booking for degree attestation, and for workers transitioning between employers where the new employer's PRO needs help with one-off filings. Use a typing centre when (a) the new employer is a small firm without a full-time PRO, (b) the worker needs help interpreting an absconding report, or (c) the educational equivalency step requires extra document handling at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
How do I renew Work Permit (Labour Card) and what are the penalties?
Work permits are renewed annually (or every three or five years for eligible categories) on the same cycle as the RP. The employer files renewal through the MOL portal; failure to renew on time blocks the RP, and a chronic failure can trigger MOL to freeze the Computer Card. Wage Protection System compliance and a valid medical fitness certificate are both pre-requisites at every renewal screen.
Fines & penalties
- ⚠Working for an unauthorised employer: deportation and re-entry ban under Law No. 21 of 2015
- ⚠Charging the worker for the work permit, contract or medical fees: labour offence, reportable on the 16008 hotline
- ⚠Wage Protection System non-compliance by the employer: penalties starting at QAR 6,000 per worker per month
- ⚠Filing a false absconding report: investigation, penalties and possible WPS suspension on the Computer Card
- ⚠Late work permit renewal: daily fines on the linked RP and possible Computer Card hold
- ⚠Working in a profession different from the one on the work permit: fines and possible RP cancellation
What goes wrong with Work Permit (Labour Card) applications?
These failures repeat across every Work Permit (Labour Card) case Wathim sees in Qatar. Catch them before submitting to save a counter rejection.
- !Working even one day before the work permit is issued: both the employer and the worker face fines and possible deportation
- !Skipping contract attestation through the MOL e-system and signing only a paper contract that MOI cannot read
- !Assuming the NOC is still required to change jobs: the requirement was abolished for most categories in 2020
- !Failing to file a contest against an absconding (huroob) report within 7 working days: leads to automatic RP cancellation
- !Accepting an out-of-WPS cash payment: looks like a favour at first but cuts the worker out of any future wage protection claim
- !Working in a profession that does not match the work permit (e.g., joining as an accountant under a logistics-clerk permit): triggers fines at the next audit
- !Forgetting that the work permit and RP must renew together: an RP renewal screen blocks if the underlying work permit is still pending
- !Believing employer-paid recruitment fees from overseas are recoverable: under MOL rules they should never have been charged to the worker in the first place
Where can I file Work Permit (Labour Card) in person in Qatar?
Multiple networks handle this: MADLSA Qatar, MOI Qatar Service Center.
Frequently asked questions about Work Permit (Labour Card) in Qatar
No. Since the 2020 labour reforms a No Objection Certificate is no longer required for most employment transfers. You serve the contractual notice (typically 1 month during probation, 2 months thereafter), notify the Ministry of Labour through Metrash, and the new employer files the work permit transfer. The underlying QID is amended rather than cancelled, so your dependents and bank account remain intact.
By law, the employer pays the work permit and renewal fees, the contract attestation, the medical commission test and the RP issuance fee. Workers should never be asked to cover these costs; doing so is a labour offence under Law No. 21 of 2015. If your prospective or current employer asks you to pay, report through the MOL hotline 16008 or via the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund.
From entry visa to work permit typically takes 3-6 weeks. The longest legs are usually the medical commission processing window (2-5 working days for results), the e-contract validation, and the MOI-MOL linkage. Skilled professionals adding educational equivalency through the Ministry of Education and Higher Education can extend the timeline by another 2-4 weeks at first issuance.
You do not need their release to leave; you need to serve notice and notify the Ministry of Labour. Open Metrash > 'Labour Services' > 'Notice of Termination', serve the notice period and the MOL system will inform both employers. If your current employer retaliates with an absconding report, you have 7 working days to contest at the Labour Disputes Resolution Committee, bringing payslips and e-contract records. The Workers' Support and Insurance Fund can intervene in genuine cases.
Following the 2020 reforms, the non-discriminatory minimum wage is QAR 1,000 per month basic, plus QAR 500 housing and QAR 300 food where not provided in kind. The minimum applies to all nationalities and all private-sector employers. Salaries must be paid in QAR through the Wage Protection System (WPS) into a Qatari bank account in the worker's own name.
Not directly: the work permit gives you the right to live and work in Qatar, but family sponsorship is a separate MOI workflow that requires meeting the salary threshold (QAR 10,000 standard, QAR 6,000 with employer housing for technical roles) and following the document attestation chain. See the family-sponsorship entry for details. Plan attestations early; they are the slow leg of the family timeline.
The law caps a category of 'essential workers' at 5% of the labour force in any given establishment. Workers in this category may need sponsor-side notification before travel and have a slightly different transfer flow. Most expatriates are not in this category; check your contract and the MOL portal to see whether your role has been designated. Domestic workers historically had a separate framework and still require sponsor exit notification in many cases.
An absconding or huroob report (locally 'taghayyub') is filed by an employer when a worker stops attending without lawful reason. You have 7 working days from the filing date to contest at the Labour Disputes Resolution Committee or through the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund. Bring proof of attendance (entry-card swipes, messages), payslips, the MOL e-contract printout and any evidence of an ongoing dispute. Failure to contest within 7 days leads to RP cancellation and a possible re-entry ban.
From 2024, Qatar pays a flat 21 days (three weeks) of basic salary per completed year of service to all workers with at least one year of service, on termination or resignation. The old tiered formula that rewarded longer tenure has been retired. Our Qatar end-of-service calculator takes your basic salary, joining date and end date and returns the exact prorated amount. Wage base is basic salary only; allowances are excluded.
