Latest Developments

Qatar enacts amendments to the Labour Law

HH the Amir issued Law No. 9 of 2026, amending Law No. 14 of 2004 (the Labour Law), published in the Official Gazette on 25 June 2026. The amendments cover recruitment-office licensing, restore the non-compete duration to two years, introduce a vocational-certification requirement for designated professions, exclude part-time/freelance work from the Law's scope pending separate rules, mandate joint employer-employee committees for firms with 100 or more staff, and strengthen strike, dispute-resolution, and wage-protection enforcement.

Kahramaa awards grid-expansion contracts to connect Dukhan Solar Project

Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) awarded contracts worth more than QAR 2.2 billion (~US$605 million) to expand and reinforce the electricity transmission network in western Qatar, integrating the 2GW Dukhan Solar PV Project — Qatar's largest-ever solar project — into the national grid ahead of its targeted 2029 connection. Contractors awarded include Voltage Engineering, Larsen & Toubro, LS Cable, and the Best & Betas consortium, covering substation construction/upgrades and new underground and overhead transmission lines.

Cabinet expands non-Qatari real estate ownership to Simaisma Resort and Beach Project

Cabinet Decision No. 21 of 2026, published in Official Gazette Issue No. 9 of 2026, amends Council of Ministers Decision No. 28 of 2020 on non-Qatari ownership and usufruct rights in designated real estate zones, adding the Simaisma Resort and Beach Project — developed by Qatari Diar and led by the Ministry of Municipality — as area No. 70 on the list of zones open to foreign property ownership. The decision entered into force upon Official Gazette publication.

Qatar exempts intra-group restructuring from capital gains tax

The General Tax Authority announced a capital gains tax exemption for qualifying intra-group restructuring transactions — including mergers, demergers, in-kind contributions, and listing-related reorganizations — applicable to transactions carried out on or after 2 March 2026. Companies must apply to the GTA to benefit, and non-compliance may result in retroactive withdrawal of the exemption.

Qatar introduces direct tax-treaty relief on withholding tax

Cabinet Decision No. 4 of 2026, amending the Executive Regulations of the Income Tax Law (Law No. 24 of 2018), was published in the Official Gazette on 15 March 2026 and took effect the following day. It introduces a 'Trusted Entity' regime under which approved entities may apply double-taxation-agreement withholding tax relief directly at source on payments to non-residents, replacing the prior refund-based system.

Ashghal unveils QR11.5 billion infrastructure project package

Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) announced the tendering and awarding of 20 new projects worth approximately QAR 11.5 billion (~US$3.16 billion), spanning roads, drainage, public buildings, and essential-service facilities in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Twelve projects worth over QAR 4.5 billion were awarded; a further eight projects worth approximately QAR 7 billion — including two major drainage tunnels in the southern region — are scheduled to enter tender.

Ashghal awards Hamad General Hospital Safety Improvement contract

Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) awarded the Hamad General Hospital Safety Improvement RMP (Main Packages 1–3) contract, valued at approximately QAR 1.179 billion (~US$323.8 million), to a joint venture of IMAR Trading and Contracting Co. and Al Sraiya Trading and Contracting Co. The project covers a comprehensive renovation and modernization of infrastructure, systems, and patient-safety facilities at one of Qatar's key public hospitals.

Qatar adopts Global and Domestic Minimum Tax implementing rules

Council of Ministers Resolution No. 2 of 2026, published in the Official Gazette on 12 February 2026, adopts the Rules for the Application of the Global Minimum Tax and the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax, implementing Qatar's OECD Pillar Two framework enacted under Law No. 22 of 2024. The rules apply to fiscal years beginning on or after 1 January 2025 and target multinational groups with consolidated revenues of at least EUR 750 million.

QICCA introduces new Conciliation Rules

The Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA), part of the Qatar Chamber, announced on 31 January 2026 that its updated Conciliation Rules would take effect from 1 February 2026, applying to cases registered on or after that date. The rules are intended to provide a more flexible, efficient and transparent framework for commercial dispute resolution.

Facility E IWPP secures project financing led by JBIC

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) signed a loan agreement on 15 January 2026 providing approximately US$990 million toward the Facility E natural gas-fired power generation and desalination project, part of a total co-financing package of approximately US$2.97 billion alongside the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Development Bank, KEXIM Global, and private lenders. The borrower is Ras Abu Fontas Power Company (led by Sumitomo Corporation), which will build, own and operate a ~2,400 MW gas-fired plant and ~110 MIGD desalination facility under a 25-year offtake agreement with Kahramaa.

Cabinet approves draft amendments to Qatar's Foreign Investment Law

At its regular session on 7 January 2026, Qatar's Cabinet examined and approved a draft law, prepared by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, amending certain provisions of Law No. 1 of 2019 on the Regulation of Non-Qatari Capital Investment in Economic Activity. The stated aim is to strengthen factors attracting foreign investment and raise the private sector's contribution to GDP under the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030. This is a Cabinet-level draft approval, not yet an enacted law; the specific amended provisions have not been publicly detailed.

Brookfield and Qai form AI infrastructure investment partnership

Brookfield Asset Management and Qai — Qatar's AI investment company, a subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) — announced on 9 December 2025 a strategic partnership to establish a US$20 billion joint venture developing AI infrastructure, including fully integrated AI/data-centre facilities, in Qatar and select international markets. The partnership will receive strategic support from the Government of Qatar to build the skills and supply chain underpinning AI infrastructure and forms a cornerstone of Brookfield's global AI infrastructure programme, which targets up to $100 billion of total investment worldwide.