UAE Working Hours & Overtime Rules: Limits, Pay Rates, Ramadan

UAE private sector working hours: 8 hours a day or 48 a week, overtime paid at basic wage plus 25%, or 50% between 10 pm and 4 am, and the Ramadan cut.

24 October 2026Qawi8 min read

Key takeaways

The maximum normal working hours for a private sector employee in the UAE are 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, set by Article 17 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Overtime in the UAE is capped at 2 extra hours a day in ordinary circumstances, and an employee's total hours may not exceed 144 hours every 3 weeks.
A UAE employer must pay overtime at the employee's basic wage plus at least 25%, rising to at least 50% for overtime worked between 10 pm and 4 am (shift workers are excluded from the night rate).
UAE private sector working hours are reduced by 2 hours a day during Ramadan, so hours worked beyond the reduced schedule can count as overtime.
An employee in the UAE who works on the weekly rest day must be given another day off or paid the basic wage for that day plus at least 50%.
Free zone companies on the federal labour law follow these rules; DIFC and ADGM run their own employment regimes, so check yours before setting a roster.

How many hours can a UAE employee be required to work?

A UAE private sector employee can be required to work no more than 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week as normal hours. This comes from Article 17(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships, and the Executive Regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) allow daily hours to be increased or reduced for certain sectors or worker categories.

Three practical points sit around the headline number:

Breaks: an employee may not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a break, and breaks must total at least one hour. Break time doesn't count as working time.
Commuting: travel time to and from work is excluded from working hours, with narrow exceptions in the Executive Regulations (severe weather warnings from the National Center for Meteorology, or an employer-provided transport breakdown, for example).
Contract limits: an employer can't require more hours than the employment contract states unless the employee agrees in writing.

8 hours a day / 48 hours a week: the maximum normal working hours for UAE private sector employees. Source: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 17(1), checked 24 October 2026.

How is overtime limited and paid in the UAE?

UAE overtime is paid at the employee's basic wage plus at least 25%, or plus at least 50% if it falls between 10 pm and 4 am. The employer can ask for up to 2 extra hours a day, and total hours (normal plus overtime) can't exceed 144 hours every 3 weeks; the exceptions are work needed to prevent or repair a serious loss or accident.

Situation	Minimum pay	Legal basis
Overtime outside 10 pm to 4 am	Basic hourly wage + at least 25%	Decree-Law 33 of 2021, Article 19(2)
Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am	Basic hourly wage + at least 50%	Decree-Law 33 of 2021, Article 19(3)
Work on the weekly rest day	Another day off, or that day's basic wage + at least 50%	Decree-Law 33 of 2021, Article 19(4)
Shift workers, night overtime	The 50% night rate doesn't apply	Decree-Law 33 of 2021, Article 19(3)
Daily overtime ceiling	2 hours a day	Article 19(1) and Executive Regulations, Article 15(3)
Total hours ceiling	144 hours every 3 weeks	Executive Regulations, Article 15(3)

Rates checked 24 October 2026.

Say a mainland trading company pays an employee a basic wage of AED 6,000 a month, and divides that by 30 days and 8 hours to get an hourly rate of AED 25 (a common convention, since the law bases overtime on the basic wage and doesn't fix the divisor; check your contract and policy). A daytime overtime hour then costs at least AED 31.25, and an 11 pm hour costs at least AED 37.50. This is a hypothetical illustration, not a Qawi client figure.

Overtime is calculated on the basic wage only, not on allowances. That is why the way a salary is split between basic and allowances matters for payroll cost, and it is also why an employer that quietly asks for extra hours without paying the premium is exposed: Article 14 of the Decree-Law prohibits forcing an employee to work against their will.

If you'd rather not track these dates and rules by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists the tax and compliance deadlines for your company as a PDF and calendar file, personalised from a few questions.

What are the UAE working hours during Ramadan?

During Ramadan, regular working hours for UAE private sector employees are reduced by 2 hours a day. This is Article 15(2) of the Executive Regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022), and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) announces the reduction each year.

The reduction applies to normal hours, so a standard 8 hour day becomes 6 hours. Employers can use flexible or remote schedules as long as employees stay within the reduced daily limit, and time worked beyond the reduced schedule can entitle the employee to overtime pay. MOHRE announced the reduction for Ramadan 2026 on 12 February 2026, as reported by Khaleej Times. Ramadan 2027 dates will be confirmed closer to the time, so check the announcement rather than assuming a date.

When is a weekly rest day required in the UAE?

A UAE private sector employee must be granted a paid weekly rest of at least one day. Article 21 of the Decree-Law sets this minimum, and the employment contract must state the employee's rest days (Executive Regulations, Article 10(1)).

Companies with 50 or more employees must also set weekends and holidays out in their work regulations (Executive Regulations, Article 14(3)). The law doesn't fix which day it is, so a Saturday and Sunday weekend, a Friday and Saturday weekend or a rolling rota are all possible as long as the contract and the minimum are respected. Work on public holidays is compensated with another day off for each day worked (Article 28(2)).

Is there a ban on working outdoors in summer?

Yes: all work directly under the sun or in open places is banned from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm between 15 June and 15 September each year. u.ae cites Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 for the restriction.

It applies to outdoor workers such as construction, delivery and site crews, so most office-based SMEs won't touch it, but a company with a site team or fleet should build the break into the roster. Press reports put fines at AED 5,000 per worker, up to AED 50,000, plus possible labour file consequences; confirm the current amounts on MOHRE's site before you rely on them. Limited technical exemptions exist, such as emergency repairs affecting public welfare.

Does this apply to free zone companies?

Most free zone companies, including those licensed in SHAMS, follow the federal labour law and MOHRE rules for their employees. DIFC and ADGM are the main exceptions: they have their own employment legislation and regulators, so their hours, overtime and leave rules can differ.

Check your own free zone's employment rules before you copy a mainland roster, and read your contract template, because a free zone licence doesn't change what your contract promises an employee.

What most guides don't tell you

Overtime is on the basic wage, so the pay structure decides the cost. A package with a low basic and large allowances keeps overtime cheap on paper, but the split is a contract term, so decide it deliberately and write it down.
"No overtime without approval" policies don't remove the liability. If a manager knows an employee is working beyond 8 hours and accepts the output, an unpaid claim can still be raised with MOHRE. Approve extra hours in writing and record them, because the record is your defence.
Ramadan creates overtime without anyone noticing. If staff keep their normal 8 hour schedule during Ramadan, hours above the reduced day can count as overtime. Adjust rosters or timesheets at the start of the month.
Shift rosters need their own paperwork. The 50% night rate excludes shift workers, but that is a carve-out for genuine shift arrangements under Article 18, so a normal day-job employee asked to stay late at night is not caught by it.

Which deadlines apply to your company?

Working hours rules sit alongside licence renewals, visa renewals, VAT and corporate tax dates, and missing one tends to cost more than the overtime premium. The free UAE compliance calendar lists your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hire a part-time employee in the UAE?

Yes. The Executive Regulations of the labour law (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) provide for part-time work, with a part-time work permit and part-time contract forms. Part-time employees can work for more than one employer with the Ministry's permission.

How do I issue an employment contract that complies with UAE labour law?

The contract must be on a MOHRE-approved form for the type of work (full-time, part-time, flexible, remote or job sharing) and must state items such as rest days (Executive Regulations, Article 10). Use the form for your employee type rather than a bespoke document, and add your overtime and rest day terms inside it.

How many days of annual leave are UAE employees entitled to?

The labour law sets a minimum paid annual leave, which is separate from working hours; check the current entitlement on u.ae before you issue contracts. For part-time employees, annual leave is proportional to contracted hours, with a minimum of 5 working days a year (Executive Regulations, Article 18).

What types of work permits exist in the UAE?

MOHRE issues several permit types, including a part-time work permit (Executive Regulations, Article 6(1)(f)) alongside standard employment permits. The full list and fees are on MOHRE's services pages, so confirm the permit that matches your arrangement before hiring.

About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn

Sources

Last checked: 24 October 2026

This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.