Qatar’s Ministry of Labour: The System Behind Every Legal Maid Hire
Qatar’s Ministry of Labour (MoL, Arabic: وزارة العمل) licenses every legal domestic-worker recruitment office in the country and enforces the Domestic Workers Law. If you’re hiring a housemaid, nanny, cook or driver in Qatar, the MoL’s rules — and Law No. 15 of 2017 — are what protect both sides.
At a glance
- Licenses and inspects domestic-worker recruitment offices
- Enforces the Domestic Workers Law (No. 15 of 2017)
- Successor to ADLSA’s labour functions (2021 reorganization)
- Works alongside the Ministry of Interior, which issues visas and QIDs
Definition
The Ministry of Labour is Qatar’s labour regulator. For households its key role is the domestic-labour file: licensing the recruitment offices families hire through, approving the standard contract, monitoring conduct and handling complaints under Law 15/2017. The name ADLSA still appears in older articles — its labour functions moved to the MoL when Qatar reorganized the ministry in 2021.
Qatar visa & QID check — step by step
- Open Qatar’s official MOI e-services portal or the Metrash2 app.
- Choose the visa enquiry (visa number or passport details) or the QID/residency enquiry.
- Enter the worker’s details.
- Status and expiry appear instantly — free, no login needed for the basic enquiry.
What Law 15 of 2017 guarantees
- A written standard contract registered with the ministry
- Maximum 10-hour working day with rest periods
- A paid weekly rest day and three weeks of annual leave
- Healthcare, and end-of-service pay of at least three weeks per year
- The minimum wage (Law 17/2020) applies: QAR 1,000 + QAR 300 food + QAR 500 housing allowances when not provided in kind
- The worker keeps her own passport — holding it is illegal
2026 market costs: one-time recruitment QAR 8,000–16,000 by nationality; salaries roughly QAR 1,000–1,600. Timeline 4–8 weeks with the Wafid (GAMCA) medical done before travel.
How to verify an office
- Ask for the MoL licence and match the name to your contract and invoice.
- Red flags: cash-only, far-below-market prices, “visit visa” offers, passport-holding.
- Every Qatar agency on GCC Domestic is checked first — browse verified Qatar offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who regulates maid recruitment offices in Qatar?
Qatar's Ministry of Labour (MoL) licenses and supervises every legal domestic-worker recruitment office. It took over these functions from the former ADLSA in the 2021 ministry reorganization. Hiring through an unlicensed channel is illegal.
How do I check a domestic worker's visa or QID in Qatar?
Use Qatar's official MOI e-services portal or the Metrash2 app: the visa enquiry takes the visa number or passport details, and QID/residency validity can be checked with the QID number — free and instant.
What rights does Law 15 of 2017 give domestic workers?
A written standard contract, a maximum 10-hour working day with rest, a paid weekly rest day, three weeks of paid annual leave, healthcare, end-of-service pay of at least three weeks per year, and the right to keep their own passport.
What is the minimum salary for a maid in Qatar?
Qatar's minimum wage (Law 17 of 2020) applies to domestic workers: QAR 1,000 per month, plus QAR 300 food allowance and QAR 500 housing allowance if not provided in kind. Market salaries run roughly QAR 1,000–1,600 by nationality.
How much does it cost to hire a housemaid in Qatar?
One-time recruitment through an MoL-licensed office typically runs QAR 8,000–16,000 depending on nationality, with monthly salaries of roughly QAR 1,000–1,600. The employer provides food, accommodation, healthcare and a return ticket per contract.
How do I verify a recruitment office in Qatar?
Ask for the Ministry of Labour licence and match the name on it to the office you are paying. Red flags: cash-only deals, prices far below market, and visit-visa arrangements.