Middle East overtime rules vary by country, and Everhour helps keep approved work hours ready for review.
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The practical question is whether extra hours should be paid above the normal rate, and which country rule controls the premium. Across researched Gulf jurisdictions, 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week is common, but the result changes by country, Ramadan schedule, night work, rest-day work, holiday work, written authorization, and worker category.
A useful calculation separates three items: ordinary hours, overtime hours, and the premium rate for those overtime hours. UAE private-sector normal working hours are capped at 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, with normal working time reduced by 2 hours during Ramadan. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain use different premium and cap rules, so the country comes before the arithmetic.
Start with the work location and the employment category covered by that country's labor rules. Saudi Arabia caps ordinary work at 8 hours per day under a daily standard or 48 hours per week under a weekly standard; Ramadan hours for Muslim workers are capped at 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week. That means the same 45-hour week can be ordinary time in one setting and overtime in another.
Then check the kind of extra work. Qatar overtime is basic wage plus at least 25%, night work from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. is basic wage plus at least 50% except for shift workers, and weekly rest-day work requires substitute rest plus at least a 150% increment. Kuwait adds authorization and volume limits: overtime must be by written employer order and is capped at 2 additional hours per day and 180 hours per year.
For a Saudi weekly example, assume a worker earns an hourly wage of SAR 30, with SAR 24 of that treated as basic wage for the overtime premium. The worker works 53 hours in a week using the 48-hour weekly standard. Ordinary pay is 48 × SAR 30 = SAR 1,440. Overtime hours are 53 - 48 = 5.
Saudi overtime must be paid as the hourly wage plus 50% of the worker's basic wage. The overtime rate is SAR 30 + 50% × SAR 24 = SAR 42. Overtime pay is 5 × SAR 42 = SAR 210, and total gross pay for the week is SAR 1,650. Hours worked on holidays and Eids are treated as overtime hours under the Saudi rule.
A one-off calculation is enough when you are checking one employee, one country, one pay period, and one clear premium. It is not enough when several countries, Ramadan schedules, rest-day substitutions, night premiums, annual caps, or approval disputes affect the final payroll amount. At that point, the calculation needs supporting records.
Everhour can support the handoff by keeping billable and non-billable time separate through project billing status, task-level non-billable controls, custom task rates, and member-rate exceptions. That matters when overtime affects payroll review while client billing still needs a separate view of billable time, non-billable time, billable amount, and cost.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
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No. There is no single Middle East overtime rule. Treat the calculation as a regional overview and apply the country-specific threshold, premium, Ramadan reduction, rest-day treatment, cap, and exemption rule that governs the worker. Across researched Gulf jurisdictions, 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week is common, but the premium and limits differ materially.
Ramadan can lower the ordinary-hours threshold before overtime starts. UAE private-sector normal working time is reduced by 2 hours during Ramadan. Saudi Arabia caps Ramadan hours for Muslim workers at 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week, and Qatar reduces Ramadan working time to 6 hours per day and 36 hours per week.
The common mistake is using the 48-hour weekly number without checking the premium category. In Qatar, regular overtime, night overtime, and weekly rest-day work use different treatments. In Bahrain, daytime additional hours and night additional hours have different minimum premiums, and weekly rest-day or official-holiday work gives the worker a choice between 150% additional wage and another rest day.
Yes. Caps do not replace the pay formula, but they affect whether the schedule itself is permitted. UAE additional work generally must not exceed 2 hours per day, and total working hours must not exceed 144 hours in any 3-week period. Saudi implementing rules cap additional working hours at 720 per year unless the worker consents to exceed that number.
Yes. Rest-day and holiday work often follows a separate rule. Saudi Arabia treats hours worked on holidays and Eids as overtime hours. Qatar weekly rest-day work requires substitute rest plus at least a 150% increment. Bahrain weekly rest-day or official-holiday work gives the worker a choice between 150% additional wage and another rest day.
Everhour supports billable and non-billable time through project billing status, task-level non-billable controls, custom task rates, and member-rate exceptions. Admin reports can show billable time, non-billable time, billable amount, and cost, so payroll review and client billing do not rely on the same raw total.
Track approved hours, separate billable from non-billable work, and review costs before payroll or billing. Everhour keeps those time records connected to reporting and billing workflows.
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