Qatar has published new licensing rules for agencies that recruit workers from abroad on behalf of employers.
Minister of Labour Decision No. 61 of 2026 appeared in Official Gazette Issue No. 20, dated October 25, according to an October 26 report carried by the government’s Hukoomi portal.
The decision covers recruitment-office licensing, agency duties, worker-guarantee periods and grounds for suspending or cancelling licences.
Agencies Must Provide a Financial Guarantee
Approved licence applicants must deposit a QR750,000 guarantee into the Ministry’s account within 15 days of receiving the instruction to do so.
The guarantee must remain valid throughout the licence period. It cannot be returned until one year after the licence expires or is cancelled.
This is a requirement for the recruitment business. The reported licensing provision does not describe it as a payment that an individual jobseeker must make.
Licensing Includes Ownership and Housing Checks
The framework sets eligibility conditions for individual applicants and companies.
Individual applicants must be Qatari and at least 21 years old. Companies must meet the stated ownership and management requirements.
Applicants must also provide documents for accommodation intended for recruited workers awaiting collection by employers or returned to the agency.
The responsible department checks whether the property is suitable.
What Jobseekers Should Check
For applicants, the practical step is to ask for the recruitment office’s full business name and licence details before proceeding.
Keep copies of the job offer, employment terms, receipts and messages. If someone requests a payment described as a share of the agency’s financial guarantee, seek clarification from the Ministry before paying.
Workers dealing with an employment dispute can read our Qatar labour complaint guide for background on available reporting channels.
What Happens Next
Recruitment businesses should review the full decision and Ministry instructions for their compliance duties.
Jobseekers should watch for further official guidance explaining how the rules will operate in practice. The new framework should not be read as approval of every recruiter, job advertisement or payment request.