Qatar has introduced amendments to its Labour Law under Law No. 9 of 2026 (“Amendments“), affecting three key areas of the employment relationship: professional licensing and training requirements for certain occupations, a new legal framework for part-time and freelance engagements, and an extension of the maximum permissible duration of non-compete restrictions. The changes are intended to modernise the regulatory framework in light of evolving labour market needs.
Professional Licensing and Training Requirements
The Amendments authorise employers to require employees in designated professions to obtain a professional licence, complete approved training, and pass a recognised competency assessment as a precondition to practising in that role.
The Ministry of Labour will designate the institutions authorised to deliver the relevant training and certification, which may include qualifying private training providers to raise workforce competency, improve service quality, and strengthen safety and productivity standards across affected sectors.
Legal Recognition of Part-Time and Freelance Work
The Amendments establish, for the first time, an express statutory basis for part-time and freelance employment arrangements. The Minister of Labour is empowered, pursuant to decisions issued by the Prime Minister, to regulate both work models.
Part-time work and freelance work will each be governed by distinct standard contractual templates designed to define the rights and obligations of both parties and reduce the risk of future disputes. Detailed implementing regulations are expected to follow, which will set out the specific legal and organisational parameters applicable to each arrangement.
This reform is expected to give businesses greater flexibility in engaging skilled personnel on non-traditional terms, and to provide a firmer legal foundation for participants in the platform and freelance economy.
Extended Non-Compete Period, Subject to Ministry Approval
The maximum permissible duration of a non-compete restriction has been extended from one year to two years. As a corresponding safeguard, a non-compete clause of this kind is only enforceable if it is approved by the competent department at the Ministry of Labour and incorporated into the employment contract by way of an approved addendum.
This reform aims to balance an employer’s legitimate interest in protecting trade secrets and client relationships against an employee’s right to professional mobility.
