Qatar recruitment agency rules 2026 are set out in Ministerial Decision No. 61 of 2026, which regulates offices recruiting workers from abroad on behalf of others. The decision was published in Official Gazette Issue No. 20 on 25 October 2026 and states that it takes effect the day after publication. For overseas job seekers, the practical message is clear: verify who is recruiting you, get job terms in writing before travel, and do not treat a licence screenshot or a WhatsApp promise as proof that an offer is genuine.
This guide explains the main provisions in plain English. It is an informational summary, not legal advice. Read the official materials and contact Qatar’s Ministry of Labour for a decision about a specific case.
The decision regulates licensing and conduct of offices that recruit workers from abroad for other people or employers. It sets conditions for obtaining and renewing a licence, a financial guarantee, record-keeping duties, information that must be given to workers, and circumstances in which a licence can be suspended or cancelled.
Scope matters: this is a framework for recruitment offices carrying out the licensed activity. It should not be misread as a new visa category, a promise that every job offer is genuine, or a rule that automatically makes every business recruiting directly for itself a licensed recruitment office.
Under the published decision, an individual applicant for a recruitment-office licence must be a Qatari citizen aged at least 21, meet the stated criminal-record conditions, not own or partner in another recruitment office, have an independent permanent office, and hold the required commercial licence. The decision also sets conditions for companies: the company must be established under Qatar’s commercial companies law, its capital must be 100% owned by Qatari citizens, and it must have a dedicated responsible manager. Other conditions include a permanent office and the absence of specified final convictions or a final bankruptcy judgment.
These are licensing conditions for the office operator—not requirements for a foreign job applicant to pay or satisfy. A worker should never be asked to fund an agency’s licensing deposit.
An approved licence applicant must deposit a guarantee of QAR 750,000 into the Ministry’s account within 15 days of being notified to make the deposit. The guarantee remains in place for the duration of the licence. The decision says it cannot be returned to the licensee until one year after the licence expires or is cancelled, as applicable.
The guarantee is intended to support specified obligations, including enforceable judgments and recruitment-contract obligations, and certain costs if a worker must be returned and the office does not arrange it. The office must also provide evidence of suitable accommodation for recruited workers while they await handover to the employer or return, and the accommodation can be inspected.
Important for applicants: QAR 750,000 is the recruitment office’s guarantee to the Ministry. It is not a visa fee, not a deposit a candidate should pay, and not a reason for an agent to demand money from you.
The decision provides for a licence lasting two years, with renewal for further periods of the same length if the requirements are met and the prescribed renewal fee is paid. The office must display its name, licence number, recruitment price list and working hours in a visible place inside and outside its premises.
Transition period: Article 27 gives people covered by the decision three months from its effective date to bring their status into line with the new requirements; the Minister may extend that period. This transition period does not by itself prove that a particular office holds a current licence, so job seekers should still verify the office before relying on it.
For job seekers, visible information is a useful starting point, not a complete verification. A sign, document or image shared online can be copied. Confirm the office’s current status through official Ministry of Labour channels before relying on it.
Before recruiting a worker to Qatar, the licensed office must provide a copy of the job details and conditions signed by the employer. The stated details include the type and nature of the work, whether the employment contract is fixed-term or indefinite, the agreed notice period, the wage accepted by the worker, and any other lawful agreed conditions. Where a role requires a professional certificate, the office must check that the relevant evidence is available. The decision also requires a criminal-record/good-conduct certificate from the competent authority in the worker’s country.
The office must provide an undertaking that it will not collect money from the worker to facilitate the worker’s arrival. The decision also provides for cancellation of a licence where the office takes payment from a worker in return for placing the worker in employment. If an intermediary asks you for a “job confirmation”, “arrival clearance” or placement payment, do not assume that the demand is lawful merely because the person claims to be an agent.
The decision allows the Ministry to suspend a licence for specified violations and gives grounds for cancellation, including collecting payment from a worker for placing them in a job, losing a licensing condition, submitting false documents, or failing to correct suspension grounds. It also requires offices to keep recruitment records, use approved overseas partners, maintain confidentiality and follow Ministry instructions.
For a candidate, this does not mean every dispute will automatically be resolved in their favour. It does mean that a demand for placement money or a refusal to provide written terms is a reason to stop and seek official guidance rather than relying on verbal assurances.
No. The guarantee is deposited by an approved recruitment-office licence applicant with the Ministry. It is not a payment that a candidate should make.
The decision requires a licensed office to undertake not to collect money from a worker to facilitate arrival and provides for licence cancellation if the office takes payment from a worker for placing them in employment. If someone demands such a payment, preserve the evidence and seek official advice before paying.
No. Licensing rules regulate recruitment offices; they do not verify every advertisement or guarantee an individual offer. Confirm the office, employer and written terms independently.
Start with Qatar’s Official Gazette archive and the government portal’s announcement about Decision No. 61 of 2026. The full text reproduced by Al Sharq is in Arabic.
Before accepting an overseas offer, read our guide to recruitment signals to check before a Gulf job offer. If you already have a Qatar job, our guide explains how to get an electronic copy of your Qatar employment contract.
Last reviewed: 28 October 2026. Regulations and administrative procedures can change. Confirm the current rule with Qatar’s Ministry of Labour before making a recruitment or travel decision.
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