By Qatar’s Ministry of Labour has shut down two recruitment offices after revoking their licences, according to The Peninsula Qatar. The closures affect the Special Manpower Supply Recruitment Office and the Riviera Manpower Supply Recruitment Office.
The ministry announced the decisions on Tuesday. The Special Manpower Supply Recruitment Office was closed under Minister of Labour Decision No. 49 of 2026, while the Riviera Manpower Supply Recruitment Office was closed under Decision No. 48 of 2026. Both decisions were issued in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Law and regulations governing the recruitment of workers from abroad.
What the closure notices mean under Qatari law
The ministry said the decisions form part of its efforts to regulate the recruitment of workers from abroad. In Qatar, recruitment offices that supply foreign workers operate under licences issued by the Ministry of Labour. Those licences are not permanent and can be revoked where an office fails to meet the conditions set out in the Labour Law or the regulations covering overseas recruitment.
When a licence is revoked, the office loses the legal authority to recruit, place or supply workers. Employers with existing contracts through either of the two named offices should treat those arrangements as disrupted until they receive formal guidance from the ministry or the office itself. The ministry has not published details of the specific breaches that led to either decision, so employers should avoid assuming the reasons.
What HR and payroll teams in Qatar should check now
The immediate practical concern for any employer using either office is the status of workers already placed. A closure does not automatically terminate the employment of workers supplied by that office, but it can interrupt renewals, visa processing and any ongoing recruitment pipeline.
HR teams should first confirm whether any current employees were sourced through the Special Manpower Supply Recruitment Office or the Riviera Manpower Supply Recruitment Office. Payroll teams should verify that wage protection system payments remain unaffected, since the WPS operates separately from recruitment licensing. Where a worker’s residence permit or employment contract is tied to a recruitment office’s sponsorship, the employer should contact the Ministry of Labour directly to confirm the correct next step.
The ministry has not stated a deadline for affected employers to act, nor has it published a transition process. That absence of detail means HR teams should document every communication and keep records of any fees paid to either office before the closure.
How recruitment licensing works in Qatar
Recruitment offices in Qatar that supply workers from abroad must be licensed by the Ministry of Labour. The licensing framework sits within the broader Labour Law, which regulates the recruitment, placement and employment of foreign workers. The ministry can revoke a licence where an office breaches the law or the regulations governing overseas recruitment.
The two decisions reference the Labour Law and the regulations on recruiting workers from abroad, but the ministry has not specified which provisions were breached. Employers should not infer a pattern from two closures announced on the same day. The ministry’s statement described the actions as part of its commitment to regulating the labour market and strengthening compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Practical steps for employers affected by the closures
Employers should take three immediate steps. First, identify any active recruitment requests or pending placements with either office and pause them until the ministry clarifies the status of those transactions. Second, check whether any fees paid in advance can be recovered, noting that the ministry has not announced a compensation or refund process. Third, review internal recruitment procedures to ensure any replacement office holds a valid licence before new contracts are signed.
For payroll and HR teams, the key risk is not the closure itself but the gap it can create in worker documentation. A worker whose visa or permit was being processed through a closed office may face delays. Employers should prepare for the possibility that some workers will need their files transferred to a licensed alternative, and they should confirm the correct procedure with the ministry before acting.
The ministry has not said whether further closures are planned. Employers should monitor official ministry announcements rather than relying on informal channels for updates on either decision.
Sources: The Peninsula Qatar
Photo: M Sakhawat Hossain speaking at 6th OIC Labour Ministers Conference Doha Qatar 20 by Press Information Department , Public domain
