Working Hours & Overtime in Kuwait
What Articles 64–68 set: the 48-hour week, Ramadan hours, rest breaks, and what overtime and rest-day work must pay.
Article 64 caps working time at 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week — a six-day week. During Ramadan the working week drops to 36 hours.
A worker may not work more than five consecutive hours without a break of at least one hour. The weekly rest day — Friday for most businesses — is a paid day off.
Overtime requires a written employer order and is capped at 2 extra hours a day and 180 hours a year, paid at a 25% premium. Working the weekly rest day pays a 50% premium plus a substitute day off, and official public holidays pay double plus a compensatory day.
Overtime is not simply extra hours that get paid more. Article 66 requires a written order from the employer, caps it at two hours a day and 180 hours a year, and pays a 25% premium on the normal wage. Hours worked without that written order sit in an awkward place: they were still worked, but the framework that makes them lawful overtime was never engaged.
The premiums stack differently by day. Ordinary working days carry +25%. The weekly rest day carries +50% *and* a substitute day off — the substitute is not optional and is frequently forgotten. Official public holidays are paid at double, again with a compensatory day. A business that runs seven days a week and treats every extra hour as +25% is systematically underpaying two of those categories.
Key facts
- Standard limit8 hours/day · 48 hours/week
- Ramadan36 hours/week
- Rest break1 hour after 5 consecutive hours
- Weekday overtime+25% premium · max 2 hrs/day
- Rest-day work+50% plus a substitute day off
- Public-holiday workDouble pay plus a day off
Worked example
An employee on 780 KWD a month has an hourly rate of 780 ÷ 26 ÷ 8 = 3.75 KWD. Six overtime hours on ordinary working days pay 6 × 3.75 × 1.25 = 28.13 KWD. Four hours on the weekly rest day pay 4 × 3.75 × 1.5 = 22.50 KWD — plus a substitute day off. Eight hours on a public holiday pay 8 × 3.75 × 2 = 60.00 KWD, plus a compensatory day. Same eighteen hours, three different rates, and two days off still owed.
What people get wrong
Paying every overtime hour at the same premium
Working days are +25%, the weekly rest day is +50%, public holidays are double. A flat rate across all three underpays the second and third categories on every occurrence.
Forgetting the substitute and compensatory days
Rest-day work owes a substitute day off in addition to the premium, and holiday work owes a compensatory day. These are separate obligations from the money, and they are the ones most often missed entirely.
Ignoring the annual overtime ceiling
Two hours a day and 180 hours a year are limits, not targets. Without tracking cumulative overtime per employee across the year, a business discovers it has passed the ceiling only in hindsight.
Frequently asked questions
What are the legal working hours in Kuwait?
A maximum of 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week under Article 64, with the week reduced to 36 hours during Ramadan.
How is overtime paid in Kuwait?
Overtime on working days pays a 25% premium over the normal wage. It requires a written employer order and is capped at 2 hours a day and 180 hours a year.
What does working on Friday or a public holiday pay?
Work on the weekly rest day pays a 50% premium plus a substitute rest day. Work on an official public holiday pays double plus a compensatory day off.
Can an employer require overtime?
Yes, by written order and within the legal caps — at most 2 extra hours a day and 180 hours a year, paid at the premium rates.
Do reduced Ramadan hours cut pay?
No. The working week reduces to 36 hours during Ramadan; the wage does not change. Hours beyond the reduced schedule are overtime, measured against the Ramadan hours rather than the normal ones.
Does the break count as working time?
A worker may not be required to work more than five consecutive hours without a break of at least one hour. The break is a limit on continuous working rather than a component of the eight hours, so scheduling that ignores it breaches the article even if the daily total looks correct.
This guide is general information based on Kuwait Labor Law No. 6 of 2010. It is not legal advice — for specific cases, consult the Public Authority of Manpower or a legal professional.
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