Qatar Announces New Tougher Rules For Recruiting Foreigners
- Qatar's Ministry of Labour published Decision No. 61 of 2026 in the Official Gazette, targeting recruitment offices that source workers from abroad
- The decision sets out strict new obligations for recruitment offices, covering licensing conditions, worker guarantee periods, and compliance requirements
- Offices that violate the new rules now face the possibility of having their licences suspended or revoked by the Ministry of Labour
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Qatar has introduced sweeping new rules governing how foreign workers are recruited into the country, with the Qatar Ministry of Labour publishing Decision No. 61 of 2026 in the Official Gazette, Issue No. 20, on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
The decision, reported by Al Raya Newspaper on 26 October 2026, specifically targets recruitment offices that source workers from abroad on behalf of third parties.
Source: UGC
It lays out the conditions under which such offices may obtain licences, the obligations they must meet once licensed, the guarantee periods they must honour for workers they place, and the circumstances under which a licence can be suspended or permanently revoked.
Ministry of Labour Takes Full Control
Under the new framework, Qatar's Ministry of Labour becomes the central authority overseeing every stage of the recruitment licensing process.
Article (1) of the decision establishes that all licences for recruiting workers from abroad for third parties must be granted strictly in accordance with the conditions and procedures it sets out, with the Ministry's competent administrative department serving as the governing body.
Recruitment offices operating in Qatar will now carry a significantly heavier compliance burden.
Among the new obligations, offices must maintain separate, dedicated premises from which to conduct their activities, hold a valid commercial licence, and ensure that any accommodation provided for recruited workers meets standards the Ministry considers suitable.
The competent department retains the right to inspect those premises and verify their adequacy before workers are handed over to employers.
Licences Can Be Suspended or Revoked
One of the most significant aspects of Decision No. 61 is the authority it grants to the Ministry to suspend or revoke a recruitment office's licence if that office breaches its obligations.
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This enforcement mechanism gives the Ministry direct power to remove non-compliant operators from the market, a measure that signals Qatar's intent to hold recruitment offices strictly accountable for how they handle foreign workers throughout the entire placement process, from initial recruitment to the point workers reach their employers.
The decision also sets out guarantee periods that offices must observe for the workers they recruit, adding another layer of accountability that places responsibility squarely on recruitment offices if placements go wrong within a defined timeframe.
Qatar hosts one of the largest migrant worker populations in the world relative to its size, and the country has faced sustained international scrutiny over labour conditions in recent years.
The latest decision signals that Doha intends to bring greater order and accountability to the front end of that system, starting with the offices that bring workers in.
Qatar publishes guidance on visa on arrival
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Qatar announced a free visa-on-arrival programme covering citizens of 43 countries, valid for up to 90 days with no extension.
South Africa is the only African nation on the list of eligible countries, alongside European, South American, and Asian nations.
Source: Legit.ng
