Career advice · Updated November 2026
End of Service Gratuity in Qatar for Kenyan Workers: Rules and Examples
Kenyans working under the Qatar Labour Law are owed an end of service gratuity in Qatar once they have worked for the same employer for at least one year. Article 54 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 sets the minimum at three weeks’ basic wage for each year of service. Part-years count pro rata, and the calculation uses your last basic wage. Your contract can give you more, but not less. This guide explains the rule, gives worked examples and lists what to check before your final exit.
Checked on 8 November 2026 against summaries of Article 54 of Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 published by the law firm Clyde & Co and the Legal 500 Qatar employment guide. Domestic workers are covered by a separate law, Law No. 15 of 2017. Read your own contract and confirm with Qatar’s Ministry of Labour if you are unsure.
The basic rule for end of service gratuity in Qatar
- Qualifying service: at least one year with the same employer.
- Minimum rate: not less than three weeks’ wage for each year of service.
- Which wage: your last basic wage. Allowances such as housing, transport and food are not included unless your contract says so.
- Part-years: paid in proportion to the time worked once you have passed the first year.
- Better terms: the employer and worker may agree a higher gratuity in the contract or company rules.
The law sets a floor, not a ceiling. Many employers in oil and gas, aviation and healthcare pay more than three weeks a year, so read your contract and staff handbook before you accept the minimum.
How to work out three weeks’ pay
Employers commonly work out a daily rate from the monthly basic wage and multiply it by 21 days (three weeks) for each year. Practice differs between employers, so ask HR which method it uses. The examples below use a basic wage of QAR 2,000 a month and the common 30-day month.
- Daily basic wage: QAR 2,000 / 30 = about QAR 66.67.
- Gratuity per year: 21 x QAR 66.67 = about QAR 1,400.
- 4 years of service: 4 x QAR 1,400 = about QAR 5,600.
- 2 years 6 months: 2.5 x QAR 1,400 = about QAR 3,500.
- 10 months: no gratuity, because you have not reached one year.
Convert to Kenya shillings at the rate on the day you are paid. The real figure depends on your own basic wage and contract.
Resignation and dismissal
Qatar’s Article 54 gives the gratuity when the service ends after at least one year. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the Qatar rule does not cut the gratuity by a fixed fraction when you resign. If your employer says you have lost your gratuity, for example after a dismissal for misconduct, ask for the reason in writing and the article of the law it relies on. Then take the letter to the Ministry of Labour or a lawyer before you accept it.
Deductions from your gratuity
The law lets an employer deduct money the worker lawfully owes, such as an unpaid salary advance or a loan recorded in writing. It should not deduct recruitment fees. Qatar bans employers and agencies from charging workers recruitment costs, so a deduction labelled as a recruitment or visa fee should be challenged. Ask for a full written breakdown of every deduction.
Before you leave Qatar
- Ask for a final settlement statement showing your start date, end date, last basic wage, gratuity, leave pay and deductions.
- Check your bank records. Qatar’s Wage Protection System means salaries go through banks, so you can prove your basic wage.
- Keep your contract and any amendments. They show your agreed basic wage and any better gratuity terms.
- Do not sign a full and final release until you have been paid the stated amount.
- Complain while you are still in Qatar if you can. The Ministry of Labour handles complaints, and the Labour Dispute Settlement Committees hear unpaid wage and gratuity claims.
Who pays the gratuity
Your employer pays the gratuity from its own funds. It is not a savings deduction from your monthly salary. If your company has closed or the owner has left the country, keep every document you have and raise the claim with the Ministry of Labour. Qatar created a Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund to help pay workers when employers fail to pay wages and dues.
Plan from Kenya
Before you sign a Qatar contract, check the basic wage on the offer, because your gratuity depends on it. A high total package with a low basic wage means a smaller gratuity. Use our Gulf jobs guide for Kenyans to compare destinations. Our guide to recruitment agencies versus direct hiring explains what licensed agents should do. Learn how to spot fake job adverts before paying anyone. If you later work in Kenya, the local rules are explained in service pay and gratuity in Kenya.
Leave pay and other final dues
The end of service gratuity in Qatar is separate from your other final dues. Your final settlement should also cover salary for days worked in the last month, payment for annual leave you earned but did not take, and any contract benefit such as a return air ticket. These items are often bundled into one figure, so ask HR to list each one on its own line. Check that the leave days match your own records. If your contract promises a ticket home, confirm whether you will get the ticket itself or cash.
Keep a copy of the final settlement and the bank transfer slip once you are paid. If your next employer in Qatar or elsewhere asks about previous service, the settlement also proves your dates of employment.
Common mistakes
- Including allowances in the calculation when the law uses basic wage only.
- Expecting a gratuity for less than one year of service.
- Accepting the legal minimum when your contract promises more.
- Leaving Qatar without a written settlement.
Frequently asked questions
How much is end of service gratuity in Qatar?
Article 54 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 sets a minimum of three weeks' basic wage for each year of service, with part-years paid pro rata.
When do I qualify for gratuity in Qatar?
You need at least one year of service with the same employer.
Are allowances included in Qatar gratuity?
No. The law uses the last basic wage, unless your contract gives better terms.
Can my employer deduct money from my gratuity?
An employer may deduct amounts you lawfully owe, such as a recorded advance, but recruitment fees cannot be charged to workers in Qatar.