Qatar has issued a new law to nationalize private sector employment and ensure job security for its nationals, the Qatar News Agency reported.

Issued on Sept. 1 by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, the legislation aims to provide a stable work environment for Qataris. It mandates the issuance of standard employment contract templates for job nationalization, which will be binding on entities subject to the law’s provisions.

The ruling aligns with the country’s National Vision 2030 goal of creating opportunities for employment and training for Qatari citizens.

The law also supports the nation’s Third National Development Strategy, which aims to turn the country into a more productive labor market, focusing on high-skilled jobs.

The strategy focuses on transitioning the country into the next stage of expansion through economic diversification, by creating an investment and business-friendly environment, and including more Qataris in the private sector workforce.

The law’s primary objective is to enhance the attractiveness of the labor market to the national workforce, QNA said, citing Qatar’s Ministry of Labor.

It also seeks to increase companies’ ability to attract and integrate citizens, encourage Qatari participation in the private sector, and develop professional skills to meet the demands of the market.

The law is expected to address several challenges that have previously hindered nationalization efforts, establishing the conditions and procedures necessary to make the private sector more attractive to Qatari nationals.

According to the ministry, the entities subject to nationalization under the law include employers who are managing private establishments registered in Qatar’s commercial register, commercial companies operating in the state, and private non-profit organizations, sports institutions, and associations.

The Labor Ministry said that it will also develop a job nationalization plan for the private sector by classifying companies based on size, workforce, and job types.

The law empowers the ministry to provide incentives, facilities, and privileges, along with sponsoring citizens to complete their university studies to prepare them for roles in the private sector.

The new decree will be effective six months after it is published in the country’s official gazette.

According to the statistics aggregator Spectator Index, the unemployment rate in Qatar is the lowest in the world at 0.1%.

The country’s total unemployment rate has gradually fallen over the past three decades, dropping from 0.81% in 1991 to 0.17% in 2021.