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Working hours, overtime pay and weekly rest in Qatar

Your legal working hours in Qatar, how overtime is paid and calculated, your weekly rest day and public holidays, the summer midday work ban, the minimum wage, and how to complain to the Ministry of Labour.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Normal hours: 8 a day, 48 a week
Ramadan: 6 a day, 36 a week
Overtime pay: Basic hourly wage + at least 25% (+ at least 50% between 9pm and 6am)
Daily maximum: 10 hours including overtime, except emergencies

Qatar's Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended) sets the maximum hours most private-sector employees can be asked to work, how overtime must be paid, and the rest days and holidays you are entitled to. The basic rule is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week, with shorter hours in Ramadan, extra pay for overtime, and at least one full day of rest each week. The 2026 amendments (Law No. 9 of 2026) did not change these hours or overtime rates. This guide is for private-sector employees on a Qatar work permit; domestic workers, government staff and Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) employees follow different rules, summarised below. Read it in order: check your normal hours and whether you are covered, work out your hourly basic wage, calculate what you are owed, then raise any problem with your employer and, if needed, the Ministry of Labour (MOL).

Before you start

Your signed employment contract, especially the job title, working hours, rest day and any clause about overtime
Your latest payslips, so you can see your basic wage separately from housing, transport and other allowances
A record of the hours you actually work: start, finish, breaks, nights, Fridays and public holidays (a simple notebook or phone note is fine)
Any written instructions to work extra hours, such as emails, WhatsApp messages or rosters
Your company's posted schedule of working hours and rest day (employers must display one at the workplace)
Your Qatar ID (QID) and a mobile number in your own name, in case you need to file a complaint
A National Authentication System (NAS, also called Tawtheeq) login, which you need for the MOL online services

Step by step

Know your normal working hours
Under Article 73 of the Labour Law, your ordinary working time must not be more than 48 hours a week or 8 hours a day. During Ramadan the limit drops to 36 hours a week and 6 hours a day. The law does not limit the Ramadan hours to Muslims, and Qatar press reports confirm the reduced hours apply to all private-sector employees, fasting or not; QFC companies follow their own rules. Your employer must post a table of working hours, breaks and the weekly rest day at the workplace entrance and send a copy to the Ministry. Your contract can give you fewer hours than this, but not more.
Check whether these rules cover you
The hours, overtime and rest-day rules (Articles 73 to 75) do not apply to people in senior roles who exercise the employer's powers over other workers, such as managers who hire, discipline or direct staff. A job title alone is not enough; what matters is the real authority you have. Guards, cleaners and staff doing preparatory or finishing work before and after the main shift are covered by overtime and rest rules, but their maximum daily hours are set by a ministerial decision. Domestic workers (house helpers, private drivers, nannies) have their own law, No. 15 of 2017: at most 10 hours of work a day, at least 24 hours of paid weekly rest and three weeks of paid annual leave. Under Law No. 9 of 2026, part-time and freelance workers are outside the main Labour Law unless the Council of Ministers extends it to them.
Take your rest breaks
Your working day must include one or more breaks for prayer, rest and meals, adding up to at least one hour and no more than three hours. You should not be made to work more than five hours in a row without a break. Break time is not counted as working time, so a day of 8 working hours plus a 1-hour lunch means 9 hours at the workplace. If you work through your break because your manager asks you to, write it down: it may count as overtime.
Know the overtime limits
Under Article 74, your employer can ask you to work beyond your normal hours, but your actual working hours must not go over 10 in a day. That normally means no more than 2 hours of overtime on an 8-hour day. The only exception is work needed to prevent a serious loss or dangerous accident, or to repair the damage from one. Overtime should be something your employer asks for, so keep the message, roster or instruction that shows you were asked to stay.
Work out your hourly basic wage
Overtime in Qatar is calculated on your basic wage, not your total salary, so housing, transport, food and other allowances are usually left out. Find the basic wage on your contract or payslip. The method most employers use is: monthly basic wage divided by 30 gives the daily wage, and the daily wage divided by 8 gives the hourly wage. Some contracts use a different divisor (for example the actual working days in the month), so check yours. Example: a basic wage of QAR 3,000 gives a daily wage of QAR 100 and an hourly wage of QAR 12.50.
Calculate your overtime pay
For each overtime hour you must get at least your hourly basic wage plus 25%, which is 125%. Overtime worked between 9pm and 6am must be paid at least your hourly basic wage plus 50%, which is 150%; this night rate does not apply to shift workers whose normal rotation includes night hours. Example with an hourly basic wage of QAR 12.50: 10 ordinary overtime hours are 10 x 12.50 x 1.25 = QAR 156.25, and 4 overtime hours after 9pm are 4 x 12.50 x 1.5 = QAR 75, a total of QAR 231.25 for the month. You can check your own figures with an overtime calculator. These are minimums; your contract or company policy can pay more.
Work it out: Qatar overtime calculator ↗
Protect your weekly rest day
Article 75 gives you a paid weekly rest of at least 24 hours in a row, and Friday is the rest day for everyone except shift workers. If work requires you to come in on your rest day, your employer must give you another day off in its place and pay you for the day worked: at least your normal rest-day wage, or your basic wage plus an increase of at least 150%. Many employers apply this as 150% of the basic daily wage; if you are paid less, ask HR to show you how it was calculated. Except for shift workers, you cannot be made to work more than two Fridays in a row. A second day off (such as Saturday) is not required by law; it depends on your contract.
Know your public holidays
Article 78 gives every employee paid leave on public holidays each year: 3 working days for Eid al-Fitr, 3 working days for Eid al-Adha, 1 day for National Day (18 December), and 3 more days chosen by the employer. The Ministry of Labour announces the exact Eid dates for the private sector each year. If you are asked to work on one of these days, the rest-day rules in the previous step apply: a replacement day off plus the extra pay. Public holidays are separate from your annual leave of at least 3 weeks (4 weeks after 5 years of service).
Know the summer heat rules
Under Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2021, work in open areas is banned from 10:00am to 3:30pm every day from 1 June to 15 September; the MOL confirmed the same dates and hours for summer 2026. Separately, all outdoor work must stop at any time of the year if the heat index at the site (called WBGT, wet-bulb globe temperature) goes above 32.1. Employers with outdoor sites must post a daily schedule that respects these hours, and the Ministry carries out inspections and spot checks. If you are made to work outdoors at midday in summer, you can report it to the Ministry as described below.
Check your pay meets the minimum wage
Under Law No. 17 of 2020, every private-sector worker and domestic worker must get a basic wage of at least QAR 1,000 a month. On top of that, the employer must give at least QAR 500 a month for housing and QAR 300 for food, unless it provides adequate housing and food itself. Overtime is paid on top of these amounts, not taken out of them. Salaries should arrive in your bank account through the Wage Protection System (WPS); if your payslip shows a basic wage below QAR 1,000, raise it at once.
Raise the problem with your employer first
If your overtime, rest-day or holiday pay looks wrong, ask HR in writing (an email is fine) to explain the calculation, and attach your own record of hours. Keep your tone factual and quote the article of the Labour Law if you can. Any contract term that gives you less than the law is not valid, unless it is more favourable to you. Keep copies of everything, because the Ministry will ask for evidence.
Complain to the Ministry of Labour
If the issue is not fixed, file a labour complaint with the MOL through its website (log in with NAS), at a Ministry service office, or by phone (the complaints hotline widely published is 16008; check the current number on mol.gov.qa). The Ministry first tries to settle the dispute; under the 2026 amendments, unresolved cases go to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee. Filing a complaint does not cost you anything, and your employer is not allowed to punish you for it. If your employer does not pay wages, Law No. 9 of 2026 also lets affected workers ask to transfer to another employer.
Read guide: Changing jobs in Qatar without an NOC →

What it costs

Minimum basic wage (per month)	QAR 1,000
Minimum housing allowance if housing is not provided (per month)	QAR 500
Minimum food allowance if food is not provided (per month)	QAR 300

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

Calculating overtime on your total salary instead of the basic wage, which leads to arguments that are hard to win
Accepting that a 'salary includes overtime' clause cancels your rights; the law's minimums still apply unless you truly hold a senior post with employer powers
Not keeping your own record of hours, Fridays and holidays worked, so you cannot prove a claim later
Counting break time as working time, or forgetting to record breaks you were asked to work through
Assuming a second day off, such as Saturday, is a legal right; only one weekly rest day is required by law
Waiting until you resign or leave Qatar to complain about unpaid overtime; raise it early while you still have evidence
Agreeing to work outdoors between 10:00am and 3:30pm from 1 June to 15 September because 'everyone does it'

Questions people ask

Is overtime calculated on my basic salary or my total salary?

On your basic wage. The law says overtime is paid at the basic wage plus at least 25% (or 50% between 9pm and 6am). Allowances such as housing and transport are normally not included, unless your contract says otherwise.

Do the shorter Ramadan hours apply to non-Muslims?

The Labour Law sets the Ramadan limit of 6 hours a day and 36 a week without saying it applies only to Muslims, and Qatar press reports state it applies to all private-sector employees. In practice, check your company's Ramadan announcement. QFC employers follow their own regulations, where reduced hours apply only to fasting employees.

My contract says I am not entitled to overtime. Is that legal?

Only people in senior positions who exercise the employer's powers over other workers are excluded from the hours and overtime rules. For everyone else, a contract term that gives less than the law is not valid. If you are unsure whether you count as a senior employee, ask the Ministry of Labour.

Can my employer make me work on Friday?

Yes, if the work requires it, but you must get another rest day in its place and extra pay for the Friday worked. Except for shift workers, you cannot be made to work more than two Fridays in a row.

Is a 6-day working week legal in Qatar?

Yes. The law requires only one weekly rest day of at least 24 hours, with a maximum of 48 hours of work a week. Many offices work 5 days, but that comes from the contract or company policy, not the law.

What should I be paid if I work during Eid?

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (3 days each) and National Day are paid holidays. If you work on them, you should get a replacement day off and the same extra pay as for working on your weekly rest day.

Does the summer midday ban apply to delivery riders and drivers?

The ban covers work in open areas from 10:00am to 3:30pm between 1 June and 15 September. The Ministry has worked with delivery companies on applying it to riders, for example by pausing motorcycle deliveries at peak heat. If you work outdoors in the sun during those hours, the rule is meant to protect you.

What are the working hours for a housemaid or family driver?

Domestic workers are covered by Law No. 15 of 2017, not the main Labour Law. They may work no more than 10 hours a day, must have breaks for rest, meals and prayer, at least 24 hours of paid weekly rest and three weeks of paid annual leave, and they are also covered by the minimum wage.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Working hours, overtime pay and weekly rest in Qatar

Before you start

Step by step

Know your normal working hours

Check whether these rules cover you

Take your rest breaks

Know the overtime limits

Work out your hourly basic wage

Calculate your overtime pay

Protect your weekly rest day

Know your public holidays

Know the summer heat rules

Check your pay meets the minimum wage

Raise the problem with your employer first

Complain to the Ministry of Labour

What it costs

Common mistakes

Questions people ask

Official sources

Further reading

Related guides