The Ministry of Labour (“MoL”) has issued Minister of Labour Decision No. 50 of 2026 (“Decision“), which amends certain provisions of Decision No. 4 of 2015 concerning the controls of the Wage Protection System (“WPS“) for workers subject to the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004). The WPS is Qatar’s electronic mechanism for verifying that employers pay wages on time and in full, and non-compliance can expose employers to administrative penalties, WPS-related sanctions, and reputational risk with the MoL.
The Decision introduces a clear, mandatory payment window for the transfer of wages through the WPS and standardises wage due dates across worker categories. The Decision came into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette and is therefore already in effect.
Under the amended Article 2 of the Decision:
- Monthly/annual-wage employees: Employers must transfer wages via the WPS into the worker’s bank account at a financial institution in Qatar within seven days of the due date. The wage due date for these workers is fixed as the first day of each calendar month.
- Other workers (i.e., those not paid monthly or annually): Wages are due on the first day of every two weeks, with the same seven-day transfer window presumably applying from that due date.
The Decision enters into force the day following its publication in the Official Gazette, meaning it is already in effect (as of September 9, 2026).
By setting precise due dates (the 1st of the month for monthly/annual employees; the 1st of every two weeks for others) and a firm seven-day transfer window, the Decision leaves less room for ambiguity and delay than the prior framework.
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.
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