DOHA - Employers in Qatar must obtain Labour Ministry approval before enforcing non-compete clauses, a senior labour official said.

Assistant Director of Labour Relations Yousuf Ali Abdulnour told Qatar TV that a non-compete must be incorporated through an approved contract addendum before it becomes enforceable. The Peninsula reported his comments on July 12.

The amendments also increased the maximum post-employment restriction from one year to two years.

The approval requirement adds a government check before an employer can rely on the restriction. A Crowell & Moring review of Law No. 9 of 2026 says a non-compete is void when employment ends during probation.

Qatar News Agency had earlier reported that the amended law was in force and introduced clearer rules for post-employment restrictions.

Workers in selected occupations will also face new qualification requirements. Qatar News Agency said the law introduces mandatory training certificates or professional examinations for certain jobs.

Abdulnour said the Ministry of Labour will announce accredited training centres, including authorised private providers, for workers who need training and certification.

The law also requires establishments with at least 100 workers to create joint committees with equal employer and worker representation. Strike rights remain in the law, but Crowell & Moring said industrial action is limited to six working days, requires written notice and is unpaid.

National Human Rights Committee legal affairs director Nasser Marzouq Sultan Al Marri welcomed workers’ “right to engage in peaceful strikes when employers fail to meet their obligations,” according to QNA.

Qatar ranked sixth among the top destinations for land-based Filipino workers in January 2026, according to preliminary Department of Migrant Workers data. The department recorded 22,428 deployments to Qatar, up 30.59% from 17,174 in January 2025.

Indonesia is also looking to expand worker placements in Qatar. Its migrant-worker protection ministry said on March 3 that opportunities were available in healthcare, information technology and hospitality, while visa restrictions remained an obstacle in some sectors.