In Qatar, the vacation policies are dictated by the Qatar Labor Law (Law No. 14 of 2004). Employees who have completed a minimum of one year of continuous service are entitled to paid annual leave. The minimum entitlement is three weeks for employees with less than five years of service, and four weeks for those with five or more years of service.

Pro-Rata Calculation

In the first and last years of employment, annual leave is calculated on a pro-rata basis according to the length of completed service.

Carryover of Leave

Employees can request to carry over up to half of their annual leave to the following year, but this requires mutual agreement with the employer.

Compensation for Untaken Leave

If employment is terminated, employees are entitled to compensation for any unused annual leave. This is calculated based on their basic salary and allowances.

Important Considerations

Employers and employees may agree to annual leave exceeding the statutory minimum, as long as it's clearly specified in the employment contract. The Qatar Labor Law emphasizes the importance of taking annual leave as a break for employees to rest and recharge. Employers should encourage employees to use their leave within the year of entitlement or within the following year.

Qatar celebrates a mix of secular and religious Islamic holidays throughout the year.

Secular Public Holidays

• New Year's Day (January 1st): This day marks the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year.
• National Sports Day (Second Tuesday of February): This day is dedicated to promoting health and fitness activities across the nation.
• Qatar National Day (December 18th): This day commemorates the unification of Qatar in 1878.

Islamic Public Holidays

• Eid Al-Fitr (End of Ramadan): This significant religious holiday marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The exact dates change yearly as they are based on the Islamic lunar calendar, and the holiday typically lasts 3-4 days.
• Eid Al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice): This major Islamic holiday commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son. Like Eid Al-Fitr, it follows the lunar calendar and lasts for 3-4 days.

Important Notes

• The exact dates for Islamic holidays depend on lunar sightings and are usually officially announced closer to the time.
• Government offices, banks, and many businesses typically close during public holidays.
• Some holidays may be accompanied by special events, festivities, and sales across the country.

In Qatar, the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004) outlines several primary types of leave entitlements.

Annual Leave

Employees with at least one year of continuous service are entitled to three weeks of paid annual leave if their service period is less than five years. If their service period is five years or more, they are entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave. Leave is calculated based on working days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Employees can carry over a maximum of 50% of their annual leave entitlement to the next year, subject to their employer's approval.

Sick Leave

After three months of service, employees are entitled to sick leave with the following pay structure: Full pay for the first two weeks, half pay for the next four weeks, and any additional periods are unpaid. A valid medical certificate from an approved medical practitioner is required. In cases of work-related injuries or illnesses, employers are liable for full medical expenses and up to 60 days of full pay.

Maternity Leave

Female employees with at least one year of continuous service are entitled to 50 days of paid maternity leave. At least 35 days of the leave must be taken after childbirth.

Paternity Leave

Male employees are entitled to a paid paternity leave of five working days within the period of childbirth.

Pilgrimage Leave (Hajj Leave)

Muslim employees who have completed at least two years of continuous service are entitled to a special unpaid leave to perform the Hajj pilgrimage once in their employment lifetime.

Other Types of Leave

While the law does not mandate bereavement leave, many companies offer a short period of paid leave in case of death in the immediate family. Educational leave may be granted at the employer's discretion for employees pursuing further studies.

It's important to note that individual companies may have additional leave policies that exceed the minimum requirements set by the Qatar Labour Law. It's always advisable to refer to your employment contract and company handbook for specific details.