In February 2015, Qatar approved a law making it mandatory for private companies to remunerate employees directly through authorised banks.
The law is aimed at guaranteeing that foreign nationals are paid in full in a timely manner, in accordance with applicable contractual terms. While the implementation details are yet to be released, the law is said to require employees to be remunerated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment are expected to be applied for non-compliance after the lapse of a six month grace period.
A similar system is already in place in the United Arab Emirates where employers are required to transfer wages to certain authorised banks, which then transfers the wages to the employees.
Actions for employers
Once implementation details are released, employers must ensure that wages are transferred to authorised banks.
Key contacts
Steve Bell
Managing Partner - Employment, Industrial Relations and Safety (Australia, Asia), Melbourne
Emma Rohsler
Regional Head of Practice (EMEA) - Employment Pensions and Incentives, Paris
Disclaimer
The articles published on this website, current at the dates of publication set out above, are for reference purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action.