Middle East overtime rules change by country, and Everhour keeps approved hours ready for payroll review.
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This calculation answers how much extra pay is due after an employee's ordinary working time is exceeded in a specific Middle East country. The key input is jurisdiction. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain each use their own overtime thresholds, premium rates, Ramadan reductions, rest-day rules, and caps, so one regional assumption creates payroll errors.
For a useful result, start with the country, worker category, ordinary hours, overtime hours, basic wage or hourly wage, and whether the overtime occurred during daytime, night hours, a weekly rest day, a public holiday, or Ramadan. If a contract or sector rule gives a higher benefit than the statutory baseline, calculate from that higher rule.
Across the researched Gulf jurisdictions, 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week is common, but the details change the result. 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 also uses 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, with Ramadan capped at 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week for Muslim workers.
Premiums are not interchangeable. UAE overtime is paid at basic wage plus at least 25% for regular overtime and basic wage plus at least 50% for overtime from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., except for shift workers. Qatar uses at least 25% for regular overtime, at least 50% for night work from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. except for shift workers, and substitute rest plus at least a 150% increment for weekly rest-day work.
For a daytime UAE example outside Ramadan, assume a private-sector employee has a basic hourly wage of AED 40, works 48 ordinary hours, and works 2 additional daytime overtime hours. Regular pay is 48 × AED 40 = AED 1,920. Daytime overtime pay is 2 × AED 40 × 1.25 = AED 100. Total gross pay for those worked hours is AED 2,020.
That formula works only after the correct country rule is selected. In Saudi Arabia, overtime must be paid as the hourly wage plus 50% of the worker's basic wage, and hours worked on holidays and Eids are treated as overtime hours. In Bahrain, daytime additional hours carry at least 25%, night additional hours carry at least 50%, and weekly rest-day or official-holiday work gives the worker a choice between 150% additional wage and another rest day.
A one-off calculator is enough when you need to check one payslip, quote one overtime estimate, or test whether a weekly total crosses the country's ordinary-hour threshold. It is not enough when hours are disputed, multiple countries are involved, Ramadan schedules apply, or rest-day and night premiums must be separated before payroll.
For ongoing teams, Everhour Timesheets can collect weekly project hours and working hours, let users submit time for approval, and let admins approve, reject, partially approve, or lock entries. That workflow keeps the legal calculation separate from the operational record, while giving payroll or billing reviewers approved hours instead of screenshots, chat messages, or late spreadsheet edits.
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. The region needs a country-specific calculation because thresholds, premiums, Ramadan reductions, rest-day treatment, annual caps, and exemptions differ by jurisdiction. Use the employee's actual country rule first, then apply any contract, company policy, or sector agreement that gives a higher benefit.
The researched Gulf jurisdictions commonly use 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week as ordinary working time, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. That shared baseline does not make the overtime result the same, because each country sets its own premium rates, night-work treatment, rest-day rules, and caps.
Ramadan can reduce ordinary working time before overtime is measured. 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. Qatar reduces ordinary working time during Ramadan to 6 hours per day and 36 hours per week.
The common mistake is applying a 25% premium to every extra hour. That fails when night work, weekly rest days, public holidays, Ramadan schedules, or country-specific caps apply. For example, UAE night overtime from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. carries at least 50%, except for shift workers, while Qatar weekly rest-day work has a separate substitute-rest and premium rule.
Yes. Caps affect whether the overtime should have been scheduled, even when pay still needs calculation for work already performed. 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 hours per year unless the worker consents to exceed that number.
Everhour Timesheets collect weekly project hours and working hours by person, then let employees submit time for approval before payroll or billing review. Admins can approve, reject, partially approve, and lock submitted time, which helps keep overtime checks tied to reviewed records instead of editable spreadsheets.
Everhour Reporting turns logged time, costs, budgets, and project data into configurable reports with columns, grouping, filters, and date ranges. When overtime tracking is enabled, overtime and double-overtime data can appear in Team Hours and custom reports for payroll review or management analysis.
Use approved weekly timesheets before running recurring country overtime checks. Everhour keeps submitted hours reviewable, locked after approval, and ready for payroll or billing review.
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