Before you sign: 25 questions to ask about a Qatar job offer
A Qatar offer is more than a salary. Housing, school fees, flights and the end of service gratuity can be worth as much as the pay itself. Ask these before you sign, and get the answers in writing.
Reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the numbers with the package check.
Pay
1. Is the salary gross or net, and are any deductions made?
2. What is the basic salary, separate from allowances?
The end of service gratuity is worked out on basic salary: at least three weeks of it for each year of service, once you complete a year. Source: Gulf Times: Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, Article 54 · read 22 Oct 2026.
3. Which allowances are fixed, and can any be reduced or withdrawn later?
4. When is the first salary paid, and can I have an advance for the first month?
Banks usually want your Qatar ID before you can open an account, and that can take weeks. Residence permit guide
5. Is there a bonus or an annual pay review, and how is it decided?
Housing
6. Is housing provided, or is there an allowance? How much, and is it reviewed each year?
7. If housing is provided: where exactly, how big, is it furnished, and are utilities included? Can I see photos?
8. Who pays the rent deposit, any agent fee and the Kahramaa deposit for electricity and water?
A standard non Qatari Kahramaa account needs a deposit of QAR 2,000. Source: Qatar Living: setting up Kahramaa (Aug 2026) · read 10 Oct 2026.
9. Where do I stay when I first arrive, for how long, and who pays?
Family
10. Will you support my family’s residence, and do I meet the conditions?
In the private sector the rules ask for a technical or specialised job and at least QAR 10,000 a month, or at least QAR 6,000 with family housing in your contract. Source: QNA: family residence rules, Dec 2023 · read 11 Oct 2026.
11. Is there an education allowance? Is it per child or in total, is there a cap, and does it cover registration, transport and capital charges?
12. Can you help us get school places?
Places depend on vacancies, so start early. Schools guide
13. Are flights and health insurance covered for my family as well as for me?
Health cover, leave and hours
14. Which health insurance do I get? Which hospitals and clinics does it cover, and does it include outpatient, maternity, dental and optical care?
15. How many days of annual leave do I get, and when can I take them?
16. Which flights home are covered, for whom and how often? Are they tickets or a cash allowance?
17. What are the working days and hours, including during Ramadan?
Relocation
18. Is there a relocation allowance or a shipping budget? How much, and when is it paid?
19. Who pays for the visa, medical tests, fingerprints and document attestation?
20. Who meets me on arrival, and who books each step of the residence permit?
21. Is a car or transport allowance provided, and are fuel and insurance included?
Contract terms
22. How long is the contract, how long is probation, and how much notice does each side give?
23. If I leave early, do I have to repay relocation costs, flights or bonuses?
24. Is the contract I sign in Qatar the same as this offer letter? If there is an Arabic version, which version is binding?
25. Are there limits on working for another employer after I leave?