Speed is right that as per the law one week's notice is required (for private companies).

Just to confirm:

Article (49.2.A) of the Labor Law, which applies to both employer and employee,states:

'If the period of service is less than one year the notification period shall be at least one week.'

Sometimes contracts are written stipulating longer periods of notice from the employee, in which case Article (4) applies:

'The entitlements prescribed by law represent the minimum entitlements of the workers and any stipulation contradicting the provisions of this law shall be void ....unless the said stipulation is more advantageous to the workers and any release, compromise or waiver of the entitlements prescribed for the worker by this law shall be void'.

In plain terms, this important article means that an employer can't provide terms in a contract which give the worker less than what the Labor Law gives them. Even if they do, the law is valid, the contract isn't.

The fact that an employee signed a contract agreeing to accept less than the law provides doesn't mean that the law doesn't apply.

When you think about it, how many of us expats had read the Qatar Labor Law before we came to Qatar or signed our contracts? The law offers us protection from unknowingly signing away our rights.

If you've got any issues after trying to come to an equitable agreement with your employer, I'd advise you to consult the Labor Department for advice on your situation.