Qatar Leave Salary Calculator
Work out the value of your unused annual leave — instantly, per Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, Article 79
Leave salary calculator
Quick answer
In Qatar, unused annual leave is paid out on your basic wage: encashment = (basic monthly salary ÷ 30) × number of unused leave days. Annual-leave entitlement is 3 weeks (21 days) a year for the first 5 years of service and 4 weeks (28 days) a year from 5 years, earned in proportion to the time you have worked (Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, Art. 79). Article 72 sets the leave wage on the basic salary, so allowances are excluded from the statutory payout.
At a glance
- Entitlement
- 21 days/year (<5 yrs), 28 days/year (5 yrs+)
- Encashment base
- Basic wage only (÷30)
- Accrual
- In proportion to service (Art. 79)
- Law
- Labour Law 14/2004, Art. 79 & 72
What "leave salary" means in Qatar
"Leave salary" is used in two senses. The first is the pay you receive while you are actually on annual leave. The second — the one most people are calculating — is the cash value of annual leave you did not take, paid to you when your employment ends. This is often called leave encashment or leave settlement.
Under Article 79 of Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, a worker who leaves before taking accrued leave is entitled to be paid for it in proportion to the time served. Article 72 provides that the annual-leave wage is calculated on the basic salary, so the statutory encashment excludes housing, transport and other allowances. Some employers pay leave on the full wage as a matter of policy — check your contract.
How much annual leave you accrue
- •First 5 years of service: 3 weeks — 21 days — a year, which is 1.75 days for each month worked.
- •5 completed years or more: 4 weeks — 28 days — a year, about 2.33 days for each month.
- •Leave is earned in proportion to service, so you accrue a balance even within your first year; it is normally taken after one continuous year but is paid pro-rata on leaving.
How leave encashment is calculated
- 1
Find your accrued leave
Apply the entitlement rate to your months of service — 1.75 days per month for the first 5 years, then about 2.33 days per month.
- 2
Subtract leave already taken
Deduct the annual-leave days you have used to get your unused balance.
- 3
Work out the daily wage
Divide your monthly basic salary by 30 to get the daily rate used for encashment.
- 4
Multiply
Unused days × daily basic wage = your leave encashment amount.
Worked examples
QAR 6,000 basic, 3 years, 15 days taken
- Accrued: 1.75 × 36 months = 63 days
- Unused: 63 − 15 = 48 days
- Daily wage: 6,000 ÷ 30 = QAR 200
- 48 × 200 = QAR 9,600
QAR 9,000 basic, 7 years, 0 days taken
- First 5 years: 1.75 × 60 = 105 days
- Next 2 years: 2.333 × 24 = 56 days
- Total accrued: 161 days · daily wage 9,000 ÷ 30 = QAR 300
- 161 × 300 = QAR 48,300
Frequently asked questions
Is leave salary calculated on basic or total salary in Qatar?
The statutory leave wage is calculated on the basic salary (Qatar Labour Law 14/2004, Art. 72), so housing, transport and other allowances are excluded from the legal minimum. Some employers pay annual leave on the full wage by policy — check your contract, but the law only requires the basic wage.
How many annual leave days am I entitled to in Qatar?
Three weeks (21 days) a year for your first five years of service, rising to four weeks (28 days) a year once you complete five years (Art. 79). Leave is earned in proportion to the time you have worked.
How is unused leave paid when I leave a job in Qatar?
Your unused annual-leave balance is multiplied by your daily basic wage (basic ÷ 30) and paid as part of your final settlement, whether you resign or your contract ends (Art. 79).
Do I get leave salary if I resign in Qatar?
Yes. Payment for accrued but unused annual leave is due whether you resign or are terminated — unlike end-of-service gratuity, it is not reduced for resignation.
Does the leave rate really rise after 5 years?
Yes — this is the point people miss. For the first five years the rate is 21 days a year; from the start of your sixth year it is 28 days a year. Only the years beyond five earn at the higher rate.
Does this apply to workers in Doha and across Qatar?
Yes. Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 is a national law applied by the Ministry of Labour across Doha and the whole of Qatar. The main exception is the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), which has its own employment regulations — check your contract if you work under the QFC.
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