My boyfriend is always in misery over this. You would NEVER see a North American company ever get away with such nonsense!!!! It's illegal and if I understand correctly, against Islamic beliefs as well. This is what I've found so far:

From the Qatar Labor Law: Part Six Article (66)

The wages and other sums to which the worker is entitled shall be paid in the Qatari currency.

The wages of the workers employed on an annual or monthly wages shall be paid at least once in every month.

The wages of all other workers shall be paid once at least every two weeks.

The wages shall be paid to the worker himself within the working day’ and during working hours in the usual place of work or any other place to be approved by the Department and may be transferred to the account of the worker with the bank to be agreed upon by the two parties or paid to the attorney appointed by the worker in writing.

The employer shall not be releaved from his obligation to pay the wage due to the worker unless he has actually transferred it to the bank or the worker or his attorney has signed in acknowledgement of the receipt thereof in the register or receipt prepared for this purpose provided that the said documents shall include the details of the wage.

Islam: Islamic law takes a very strict approach to payment for services. The
Prophet is reported to have said that the worker should be given his wages
before "his sweat dries. 97 This suggests that payment should be made as
soon as possible and not postponed. This notion is reinforced by the
second ruler of the Muslim polity after the death of Muhammad: Umar bin
Khattab.98 Umar seems to suggest a preference for paying wage laborers
daily.99 In addition, in the case of non-payment for services rendered, the
person defaulting on their obligation is severely referred to as one of the
three types of people who will be an "enemy of God" on the Day of
Judgment.'00 Furthermore, with regard to the amount of "real wages" in a
Muslim society, Islamic juristic discourses suggest that it should be "at
least at a level that would enable employees to fulfill all their and their
families' essential needs in a humane manner. ' '

So how do they get away with this? Why do employers put their workers through this stress every single month. He never knows if he can pay his rent, eat a decent meal etc....it isn't right or fair. And the people of Qatar don't care.