If someone is arranging your move to Qatar for work, there is a new rule worth knowing before you pay anyone anything: a licensed recruitment office in Qatar is not allowed to charge you a fee for getting you the job.
Qatar’s Minister of Labour issued Ministerial Decision No. 61 of 2026, published in the Official Gazette on 25 October 2026 and in force from 26 October. It replaces agency rules that had stood since 2005, and it covers offices that recruit workers from abroad on behalf of employers.
What this means for you, in plain terms:
- No recruitment fees. A licensed office must not collect money from you for recruitment or for arranging your arrival. If an agent asks you to pay to secure a Qatar job, that is a rule breach — and under the new decision it can cost the office its licence.
- Signed terms before you travel. The office must give you the employer-signed job terms — duties, contract type and wage — before you travel, not after you land.
- A real guarantee behind the office. Licensed offices must deposit a QAR 750,000 guarantee with the Ministry of Labour. That money is the office’s obligation, not yours: it is not a deposit you pay, and no worker should be asked to fund it.
- A trial period with refunds. Employers get a three-month trial period with a full refund, followed by six months with a partial refund. Existing agencies have three months from 26 October to bring their operations in line with the new rules.
One honest caveat, as with Oman’s new rules: these rules govern licensed recruitment offices, not every employer hiring directly, and they do not by themselves prove that any single job offer is genuine. Get the employer-signed terms in writing before you travel, check the office is licensed, and never pay a recruitment fee.
Sources (plain text): Qatar Ministerial Decision No. 61 of 2026, published in Official Gazette Issue No. 20, 25 October 2026, effective 26 October 2026, replacing Ministerial Decision No. 8 of 2005; reported by Akhbrna (citing the Official Gazette); VSCareer GCC workforce roundup (October 2026); GulfTalentGuide worker guide (28 October 2026).