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Effective 7 October 2025, Qatar enacted Law No (25) of 2025, amending key provisions of the Human Resources Law (Law No (15) of 2016) (the HR Law) and, in parallel, issued Cabinet Resolution No (34) of 2025, which amends the HR Law Executive Regulations No (32) of 2016 (the HR Regulations). Together, these measures reshape public sector employment governance, strengthen Nationalisation and replacement policies, modernise performance evaluation and rewards, revise salary and incentive structures, add new allowances and bonuses, expand leave and flexible work entitlements, refine disciplinary processes, and clarify end of service benefits. While the changes apply primarily to government agencies, they will be relevant to quasi governmental bodies that mirror the HR Law/Regulations in their employment contracts/policies and to private sector employers seeking to benchmark benefits to attract Qatari talent.
Summary
HR Oversight
The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (the Bureau) now takes responsibility as the central human resources authority, headed by the President of the Bureau. The Bureau's administrative unit is now responsible for training, planning, organisation, arrangement, and implementation of human resources policies. The requirement to submit special employment regulations (including drafts and amendments) for Bureau review now extends to all entities with state financed or co financed budgets, ensuring their alignment with national HR policy.
Nationalisation and Replacement Policies
Each Government Agency must prepare annual Nationalisation and replacement plans, approved by the President of the Bureau. Vacancies must be posted via the National Employment Coordination Platform. Government Agencies must appoint Qatari candidates nominated for replacement posts within one month. If a Government Agency fails to appoint Qatari candidates within this period, without providing reasons acceptable to the competent department, the President of the Bureau may, after obtaining Prime Minister approval and considering job requirements, appoint such candidate(s) as replacements for non-Qatari employees. Agencies may now employ Qatari higher education students part-time under a lump sum remuneration contracting system, but with pension/social insurance contributions expressly excluded for such students.
Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion
Appointment authorities and procedures are clarified across grades, including Bureau oversight and objection powers. Reappointment is facilitated for employees who obtain the requisite or higher qualifications during service, subject to Agency need, prior approvals, and conditions that are now detailed in the HR Regulations. Promotion criteria have been tightened, with codified training prerequisites and performance thresholds. The minimum period for promotion may be reduced by one year for sustained extraordinary performance. Recipients of individual government excellence awards may receive accelerated promotion or, for certain grades, an equivalent financial award.
Pay Structures, Allowances, and Incentives
Salary setting now explicitly recognises prior practical experience, including eligible private sector experience under conditions set by the President of the Bureau. The amended Law consolidates and expands increments, allowances, and incentives, adding the following new increments/allowances: recruitment/retention increments, specialised professional certificate increments, performance-related incentives and an annual marriage incentive. Overtime compensation is capped and differentiated for Qatari and non-Qatari employees, and may be compensated with time off in lieu. The HR Regulations set controls on overtime assignments and ceilings on the proportion of staff eligible for overtime.
Performance Management and Rewards
Starting with the 2026 cycle, performance will be evaluated using the Normal Distribution Curve System across agencies, with defined ceilings on the number of employees within each entity that can be granted "Extraordinary" and "Performance Exceeding Expectations" ratings. Periodic increments for Qataris (awarded on 1st January each year) are now directly linked to performance levels through percentage multipliers; and top performers may receive supervisory and individual performance bonuses. The system includes legal default ratings for certain extended leave and secondment scenarios and bars top ratings where training or disciplinary thresholds are not met, unless the particular Government Agency is operating under an approved special performance evaluation system.
Leaves and Flexible Work
Leave entitlements have been expanded to include sabbatical leave to carry out training tasks and work at government training institutes and centres, with leave conditions set in the HR Regulations. The Council of Ministers, after recommendation by the Bureau President, is expressly empowered to regulate remote work and flexible working hours. Maternity leave provisions are enhanced, including remote working during later stages of pregnancy, breastfeeding protections, and extended maternity leave in cases of twins or disability. Study leave and sabbatical leave for training tasks parameters are introduced. Sick leave entitlement has been revised, as regards both the ordinary maximum leave time per year and the level of sick pay.
Disciplinary Procedures and Grievances
Investigation, penalty, and appeal procedures are further clarified. Penalty frameworks and automatic expungement timelines are specified, with promotion restrictions following certain penalties. A Bureau-level Committee for Examining Grievances and Complaints is established chaired by the President of the Bureau with representatives from various government entities including the Ministries of Justice and Education & Higher Education. The Committee has binding decision-making authority over employment entitlements for those under the HR Law, the HR Regulations, and those with certain approved special employment regulations.
End of Service and Savings Schemes
For non-Qatari employees, the end of service gratuity is calculated at one month's basic salary per year of service up to a maximum of ten months. If total service exceeds ten years, the gratuity is calculated using the basic salary for each of the last ten years, based on the salary actually earned in each year. A savings and investment scheme may be introduced for non-Qatari employees, with potential extension of a voluntary savings and investment scheme for Qatari employees by Council of Ministers Resolution.
Other Notable Provisions and Transitional Rules
Restrictions now apply to employing relatives within the same administrative unit. Claims for financial rights under the HR Law, HR Regulations, and implementing decisions lapse after 15 years. Transitional measures ensure that Qatari employees in service at entry into force will receive a pro rata periodic increment on 1st January 2026 under the new performance-linked provisions.
Practical Considerations
Agencies should assess alignment of internal policies with the amended framework, update Nationalisation and replacement plans, recalibrate promotion and performance systems, revise overtime and allowance policies, and refresh leave and remote work arrangements in line with the new requirements. Quasi-governmental bodies and government funded/co-funded entities should review their employment contracts and policies where those are drafted to mirror the HR Law/Regulations, and private sector employers may wish to benchmark benefits and performance policies to remain competitive for Qatari talent.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
