The Qatari government has introduced a conditional right for migrant workers to stage legal strikes as part of amendments to the country’s labour law.

Under the revised law, workers can go on strike for up to six working days after notifying their employer and the Ministry of Labour in writing, but only if a labour dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, conciliation or mediation. The provision was introduced through Qatar’s Law No 9 of 2026, which amended the 2004 Labour Law (Law No 14) to strengthen workers’ rights and welfare.

The amended law requires companies with 100 or more employees to establish joint committees made up of management and worker representatives. The committees are intended to improve workplace dialogue, strengthen consultation and help resolve disputes before they escalate.

The reforms also introduce tougher penalties for labour violations. Employers that breach wage protection regulations may face suspension of ministry services, while the Labour Dispute Resolution Committee has been formally authorised to conduct virtual hearings. Recruitment agencies and companies involved in hiring violations may face fines ranging from QAR3,000 to QAR25,000. One Qatari riyal is equivalent to Rs41.66.

Workers exercising their right to strike will not be entitled to wages during the strike period. The law also allows companies to dismiss without notice workers who organise illegal or unjustified strikes without following the required procedures or who disrupt business operations through such actions.

Companies that fail to establish mandatory joint committees may face fines ranging from QAR2,000 to QAR5,000.

Qatar has also strengthened enforcement of its Wage Protection System. The amended law gives the labour ministry greater authority to take action against employers that delay or fail to pay salaries, including suspending services, imposing administrative measures and applying regulatory penalties against repeat offenders.

If a company repeatedly violates wage rules or triggers collective disputes because of unpaid salaries, other companies under the same ownership may also face penalties. The ministry may publish the names of non-compliant companies on its website.

Workers who remain unpaid can request a change of employer or terminate their contracts, with repatriation costs to be covered by the employer.

The Labour Dispute Resolution Committee’s new authority to conduct virtual hearings means workers no longer need to be physically present to pursue labour cases. Employers, workers and verified witnesses can now participate in proceedings online.

Workers must first register disputes with the ministry. Cases are referred to the dispute resolution committee only when efforts to settle them through negotiation fail. Agreements reached through ministry-led mediation will have the status of legally enforceable documents.

The amended law also increases penalties for recruitment-related violations.

Recruitment agencies can be fined between QAR3,000 and QAR25,000 for hiring workers without ministry approval for employment contracts, processing recruitment before mandatory medical examinations or committing other administrative and recruitment-related violations.

Qatari recruitment agencies generally recruit workers in partnership with manpower agencies in Nepal, although some employers also hire directly through Nepali firms.

The new rules also require workers seeking employment in designated technical and professional occupations to obtain certificates confirming that they have completed required training and passed examinations at ministry-approved centres before starting work.

Meanwhile, Qatar has extended the non-compete period, during which an employee can be restricted from joining a competing company after leaving a job, from one year to two years. The change restores a provision that existed before 2020.

If an employee has access to sensitive client information, trade secrets or confidential company data, an employer can prevent them from joining a competitor for up to two years after the termination of employment.

The labour law amendments are aimed at modernising Qatar’s labour market, improving regulatory oversight and creating a more flexible and competitive employment system in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Some provisions will require additional decrees and executive regulations before they come into full effect.

“These reforms represent significant shifts that will heavily impact employers, workers, recruitment agencies and the dispute resolution system alike,” Krishna Panthi, president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association Qatar, told Kantipur.