Qatar has many private and international schools that follow British, American, IB and other curricula. Teaching there is regulated mainly by Qatar’s private schools law and its rules, which are run by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE).
This guide explains what those rules say about hiring teachers, your contract and your residence permit. It is general information for teachers from any country. We checked the rules on Qatar’s official legal portal (Al Meezan), the MOEHE website and the Ministry of Interior website in October 2026. Some MOEHE pages load only with JavaScript and could not be read. Where that happened, this guide says so and tells you what to ask your school.
Who regulates private and international schools
Private schools in Qatar follow Law No. 23 of 2015 on the regulation of private schools and its executive rules, Ministerial Decision No. 40 of 2017 (Al Meezan). Al Meezan lists the decision as in force. The decision is in Arabic. The rules below are our own translation, so check the original text or ask your school if a detail matters to you.
The school’s licence holder (the “licensee”) is responsible for hiring. The “competent authority” is the MOEHE.
Every hire needs Ministry approval
Article 22 of Decision 40/2017 says:
- The licensee is fully responsible for hiring the school’s administrative and academic staff before the start of the school year, so that they start work on the first day of classes. The licensee also pays their salaries and all their job rights.
- A school may not start the year with a staff shortage of more than 10% of its full staff.
- In all cases, the licensee may not appoint any employee “except after obtaining prior approval from the competent authority”.
What this means for you: an offer from a Qatar school is not final until the Ministry approves it. Ask the school what documents it needs from you for this approval, and how long it usually takes.
Article 21 adds two rules:
- People who work at the school may not also be employees of a government body or of another private-sector employer. In plain words, no second job.
- A school principal must be at least 30 and no older than 55 years old when appointed, and hold a suitable higher qualification. The Minister may make exceptions to the age rule. We found no age rule for teachers in the decision.
The professional licence for teachers
The MOEHE announced a Professional Licensing Program for the 2025 to 2026 school year (MOEHE). It covers teachers, coordinators and school leaders, including principals and vice principals. Specialised committees evaluate “the actual professional practices of applicants” against Qatar’s national professional standards.
The MOEHE also has a Professional Licenses page, but its content loads by script and we could not read it. So this guide cannot tell you:
- whether a new teacher from abroad needs the licence before starting, or within a set time after starting,
- which tests or evaluations apply to you, or
- what the licence costs.
Ask the school during the interview. A school that hires teachers from abroad every year should be able to explain the steps and who pays for them.
Degree equivalency and attestation
The MOEHE issues equivalency for university degrees and runs an online University Degree Equivalency and Attestation service (MOEHE). It does not issue equivalency for training courses of any length or for vocational certificates (MOEHE). This matters if your teaching qualification is a short course rather than a university award.
We could not confirm on an official page exactly which attestations a teacher needs before arrival. Ask your school for its document list in writing, and start early, because getting documents attested can take several weeks.
Your contract
Article 23 of Decision 40/2017 sets these rules for the employment contract (Al Meezan):
| Rule | What the decision says (our translation) |
|---|---|
| Language | Written in Arabic as the original language, plus any other language |
| Length | One year, from the start of the school year to the start of the next school year, including the summer holiday |
| Content | Must state the type of work, the monthly salary and all other rights and duties |
Article 24 covers probation:
- A person hired for the first time serves a probation period of six months from the day they start work at the school.
- An employee cannot be put on probation more than once at the same school.
- During probation, the school may end the contract if the employee is not suitable for the work, but must tell the employee at least one week before the end date.
Benefits such as housing or flights are the school’s own terms, not rules from the decision. Read the whole contract, compare it with the job offer, and keep copies of both.
Recruitment fees
Qatar’s Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), Article 33, says that people licensed to recruit workers from abroad for others may not collect “any sums of money as recruitment fees or other charges” from the workers they recruit (Al Meezan). Al Meezan lists the law as in force.
So a recruiter who asks you for a “placement fee”, a “visa fee” or a “processing fee” for a Qatar job is breaking this rule. Apply on the school’s own careers site, and never pay anyone for a job offer.
Your residence permit
Your employer sponsors your residence. The Ministry of Interior says that an expatriate who enters on a residence visa must do the medical check within 30 days of entering Qatar. After the medical check, fingerprints are taken, and then the residence procedures are completed (Ministry of Interior).
The same page says a residence permit must be renewed within 90 days of its expiry, with a fine of QAR 10 a day up to QAR 6,000 if it is late (checked October 2026). Your school’s HR team normally handles these steps, but the permit is in your name, so keep track of its dates.
Some steps, such as medical checks, may happen in your home country before you travel. We could not confirm this on an official page, so ask your school how its process works.
Before you accept an offer
- Ask about Ministry approval. When will the school apply for MOEHE approval, and what does it need from you?
- Ask about the professional licence. Do you need it, when, and who pays?
- Check the contract. It should name your job, your monthly salary and your other rights. Check the start date, the length and the probation terms.
- Check your degree. If your teaching qualification is a short course, ask whether the school can get it approved.
- Prepare documents early. Degree certificates, transcripts, police certificates and references take time.
- Apply directly. Find the job on the school’s own website. On this board every job links to the school’s own page.
- Never pay a recruiter. Qatar’s Labour Law bans recruiters from charging workers.
Frequently asked questions
Does a school in Qatar need government approval to hire me?
Yes. Article 22 of Ministerial Decision 40 of 2017 says a private school may not appoint any employee without prior approval from the competent authority, which is the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Your offer is not final until that approval is given, so ask the school about the timing.
Do teachers in Qatar need a professional licence?
The Ministry announced a Professional Licensing Program for the 2025 to 2026 school year for teachers, coordinators and school leaders, based on Qatar’s national professional standards. Its details page loads only by script, so we could not confirm when new teachers from abroad need it. Ask your school.
How long is a teaching contract in Qatar?
Ministerial Decision 40 of 2017 says the contract is written in Arabic plus any other language and runs for one year, from the start of one school year to the start of the next, including the summer holiday. It must state your job, your monthly salary and your other rights and duties.
Is there a probation period for new teachers in Qatar?
Yes. A person hired for the first time serves six months of probation from the day they start. It can only happen once at the same school. During probation the school may end the contract if you are not suitable, with at least one week’s notice.
Can a recruiter charge me a fee for a teaching job in Qatar?
No. Article 33 of Qatar’s Labour Law says people licensed to recruit workers from abroad may not collect any recruitment fees or other charges from those workers. If a recruiter asks you to pay for a job or a visa, do not pay.