What counts as overtime in Qatar?
Overtime is any work you do beyond the normal working hours set by law or by your contract. In Qatar, the law sets a ceiling on normal hours. When your employer asks you to work past that ceiling, those extra hours must be paid at a higher rate than your normal hourly pay. The same applies, in a different way, when you work at night or on your weekly day off.
Many workers in Qatar, especially in construction, hospitality, retail, security and driving jobs, do overtime every week. Yet a lot of them are not sure how the amount on their payslip was worked out. The aim of this page is to show you, in plain language, how to calculate overtime in Qatar, what the law says, and what you can do if your overtime is missing.
Before you start, keep one key idea in mind: Qatar overtime is based on your basic wage. Your housing, transport and food allowances usually do not count. So the first job is always to find your basic salary on your contract or payslip.
Working hours under Article 73
Article 73 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 sets the normal working hours. In our own words:
- The maximum normal working time is 48 hours a week, at 8 hours a day, for all months of the year.
- During Ramadan, the maximum is 36 hours a week, at 6 hours a day.
- Time spent travelling between home and work is not part of working hours.
- The working day must include one or more breaks for prayer, rest and meals, lasting at least one hour and at most three hours in total. Breaks are not counted as working time.
- A worker should not work more than five hours in a row without a break. The Minister can name types of work that need to continue without a break.
So a typical full-time worker in Qatar works 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, with Friday as the day of rest. Any hour beyond 8 in a day (or 6 in Ramadan) is overtime. Many companies now work a 5-day week of 8 hours, which is 40 hours. In that case, whether the extra hours on a sixth day count as overtime depends on your contract, because the legal limit is 48 hours. Check what your contract says your normal hours are.
The 10-hour daily limit
Article 74 allows overtime, but the total actual working hours in one day must not go above 10 hours. On a normal 8-hour day, this means a maximum of 2 overtime hours per day. In Ramadan, with a 6-hour normal day, the same 10-hour ceiling in the text would leave room for up to 4 extra hours. The law allows the 10 hours to be passed only when work must continue to prevent a serious loss or a dangerous accident, or to reduce the effects of one.
Overtime rates under Articles 74 and 75
Normal overtime: basic + at least 25%
For each extra hour, the employer must pay at least the basic hourly wage plus 25% of it. That is 125% of your basic hourly wage. Your contract can give more, but not less.
Night work: basic + at least 50%
Article 74 also says that workers who work between 9 pm and 6 am get the basic wage plus at least 50%, which is 150%. This does not apply to shift workers, whose normal schedule already includes night hours. You may see some guides mention 9 pm to 3 am. The English text of the law we checked says 9 pm to 6 am, so the calculator uses that window. Ask the Ministry of Labour if your employer uses a different window.
The night uplift sits in the overtime article, so the most common reading is that it applies to overtime hours worked at night. Our calculator applies it to the "night overtime hours" box only. If your contract pays a night allowance on normal hours as well, add it separately.
Weekly rest day: replacement day plus at least 150% extra
Article 75 gives every worker a paid weekly rest of at least 24 hours in a row. Friday is the normal rest day for everyone except shift workers. If work needs you to come in on your rest day, the employer must give you another day off to replace it, and pay you for the work. The text says the pay is either the amount due for the rest day or the basic wage plus at least 150% of it. Read word for word, "basic plus 150%" means 250% of the basic hourly wage for each hour worked. Some summaries describe the Friday rate as 150% in total. Because the official wording adds 150% on top of the basic wage, our calculator uses 250% by default. Non-shift workers must not be asked to work on two Fridays in a row.
| Type of hours | Legal minimum pay per hour | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Normal hours (up to 8/day, 48/week) | 100% of basic hourly wage (covered by monthly salary) | 73 |
| Overtime (day) | 125% (basic + 25%) | 74 |
| Overtime between 9 pm and 6 am (non-shift) | 150% (basic + 50%) | 74 |
| Work on weekly rest day | 250% (basic + 150%) plus a replacement day off | 75 |
| Ramadan normal hours | Up to 6/day, 36/week | 73 |
Who is covered and who is not
The overtime rules apply to workers covered by Labour Law No. 14 of 2004. That is most private sector staff in Qatar, whatever their nationality. Some groups are outside these rules:
- Senior staff with employer powers. Article 76 says Articles 73, 74 and 75 do not apply to people in senior positions that give them the employer's authority over workers. In practice, this means top managers who direct staff on the employer's behalf. A job title alone, such as "supervisor", does not automatically remove your rights.
- Some groups excluded from the normal hours limit. Article 76 also says the normal hours limit in Article 73 does not apply to workers doing preparatory or follow-up work before or after the main working hours, to guards and cleaners, and to other groups named by the Minister. The Minister sets the maximum hours for these groups.
- Groups outside the Labour Law. Article 3 lists groups that the Labour Law does not cover, such as government employees, the armed forces and police, casual workers and domestic workers. Workers in the Qatar Financial Centre follow the QFC Employment Regulations.
- Part-time and freelance work. Law No. 9 of 2026 moved part-time and freelance work outside the main Labour Law, with separate rules to come. If you work part-time, check the new rules with the Ministry of Labour.
How to calculate overtime pay in Qatar
Here is the method used by the calculator. You can do the same with your phone.
Step 1: Find your basic hourly wage
The law does not set one fixed method. The most common way is to treat the month as 30 days and divide by your normal daily hours:
Example: 3,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = QAR 12.50 per hour
Some employers use a weekly method: monthly basic × 12 ÷ 52 weeks gives a weekly wage, and that is divided by 48 hours. For QAR 3,000, this gives about QAR 14.42 per hour. The weekly method gives a higher hourly rate, which is better for the worker. The calculator lets you choose.
Step 2: Apply the right rate to each type of hour
Night overtime pay = Hours × Hourly wage × 1.50 (shift workers: × 1.25)
Rest-day pay = Hours × Hourly wage × 2.50
Step 3: Add them up
Step 4: Check the daily limit
Divide your overtime hours (day plus night) by your working days. If the average is above 2 hours a day on a normal 8-hour schedule, your employer may be going past the 10-hour daily limit. The calculator warns you when your hours suggest this. You are still owed pay for every hour you worked.
Worked examples
All examples use the ÷30 method, 8 normal hours and 26 working days, and match the calculator. Amounts are in Qatari riyals (QAR).
Example 1: Mixed overtime for a non-shift worker
Arun is an electrician from India with a basic salary of QAR 3,000. In one month he worked 20 hours of normal overtime, 8 hours of overtime after 9 pm, and one Friday of 8 hours.
Day overtime = 20 × 12.50 × 1.25 = 312.50
Night overtime = 8 × 12.50 × 1.50 = 150.00
Friday work = 8 × 12.50 × 2.50 = 250.00
Total = QAR 712.50
Arun should also get another day off to replace the Friday he worked. If his employer used the weekly method, his hourly wage would be about QAR 14.42 and his total would be about QAR 822.12.
Example 2: Shift worker with night hours
Grace is a Filipino nurse in a private clinic who works rotating shifts. Her basic salary is QAR 4,800. She worked 30 overtime hours in the day and 10 overtime hours at night.
Day overtime = 30 × 20.00 × 1.25 = 750.00
Night overtime (shift worker) = 10 × 20.00 × 1.25 = 250.00
Total = QAR 1,000.00
Because Grace is a shift worker, the 50% night uplift does not apply by law. Her night overtime is paid at the normal 125% overtime rate. Her contract may still give a night allowance.
Example 3: Too many overtime hours
Habib from Bangladesh earns a basic of QAR 3,600. In a month with 26 working days he worked 60 hours of day overtime.
Day overtime = 60 × 15.00 × 1.25 = QAR 1,125.00
Legal room: (10 − 8) × 26 days = 52 hours
Habib is owed QAR 1,125.00 for the hours he worked. But 60 hours is more than the 52 hours that the 10-hour daily limit allows across 26 days. Unless there was an emergency of the kind the law allows, his employer may be breaking the working hours rules.
Example 4: Ramadan overtime
During Ramadan, a worker with a basic of QAR 3,000 has a normal day of 6 hours. If you enter 6 as the daily hours, the hourly wage becomes 3,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 6 = QAR 16.67. Ten overtime hours in the day would pay 10 × 16.67 × 1.25 = QAR 208.33. Hours worked past 6 a day in Ramadan count as overtime. Note that some employers keep the same hourly rate as the rest of the year. Ask HR which method your company uses.
Hourly rate table
Minimum overtime rates per hour for common basic salaries (÷30 method, 8-hour day):
| Monthly basic (QAR) | Basic hourly | Overtime 125% | Night 150% | Rest day 250% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 (minimum wage) | 4.17 | 5.21 | 6.25 | 10.42 |
| 1,500 | 6.25 | 7.81 | 9.38 | 15.63 |
| 2,000 | 8.33 | 10.42 | 12.50 | 20.83 |
| 3,000 | 12.50 | 15.63 | 18.75 | 31.25 |
| 5,000 | 20.83 | 26.04 | 31.25 | 52.08 |
| 8,000 | 33.33 | 41.67 | 50.00 | 83.33 |
Qatar's minimum wage is QAR 1,000 basic per month, plus at least QAR 500 for housing and QAR 300 for food when the employer does not provide them. Overtime is calculated on the QAR 1,000 basic part.
Special cases
Fixed overtime allowances
Some contracts pay a fixed monthly "overtime allowance" whatever the hours. This is allowed only if it is at least equal to what the law would give for the hours you actually worked. If you work many more hours than the allowance covers, you can claim the difference.
Public holidays
Qatar gives paid public holidays for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and National Day, under the Labour Law and ministerial decisions. If you work on an official holiday, your contract or company policy will usually set extra pay or a day in lieu. The articles covered here deal mainly with overtime and the weekly rest day, so ask HR or the Ministry how holiday work is paid in your case.
Senior managers
Managers with real employer authority (hiring, firing, directing staff) are outside the overtime rules under Article 76. A team leader who works under a manager and has no such authority is normally still covered.
Guards and cleaners
Article 76 lets guards, cleaners and some other groups work longer normal hours than the usual 8 per day, within limits set by the Minister. This affects when overtime starts for them. If you are a guard or cleaner, check your contract and the Ministry's rules for your job.
Domestic workers
Domestic workers (house drivers, maids, nannies, cooks, gardeners) are not covered by the Labour Law. Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers sets a maximum of 10 working hours per day, daily rest periods, a weekly day off of 24 hours, and three weeks of paid annual leave. It does not apply the 125%, 150% and 250% overtime rates. Any extra pay depends on the contract.
Overtime and end of service
Overtime pay is not part of the basic wage. That means it does not increase your end of service gratuity. To see how gratuity works, use our Qatar Gratuity Calculator.
Common mistakes
- Using the gross salary. The law ties overtime to the basic wage. If your contract uses the full salary, that is better for you, but it is not the legal minimum.
- Paying overtime at the normal rate. Every overtime hour must be paid at least 125%. Paying 100% is below the law.
- Forgetting the night uplift. Non-shift workers who work overtime between 9 pm and 6 am should get 150%, not 125%.
- No replacement day for Friday. Working on your rest day should give you both extra pay and another day off.
- Working two Fridays in a row. For non-shift workers, this is not allowed.
- Ignoring breaks. Breaks of 1 to 3 hours are not working time. But if you work through your break because your employer asks you to, that time counts.
- Not keeping a record. Without your own record of hours, it is hard to prove missing overtime.
What to do if overtime is not paid
- Keep a daily log. Write down your start time, end time and breaks every day. Take photos of time sheets or clock-in screens if you can.
- Check your payslip and WPS transfer. Qatar's Wage Protection System records salary payments to your bank. Compare what was paid with your own calculation.
- Ask HR in writing. Send a short email with your hours and your calculation. Keep a copy.
- Complain to the Ministry of Labour. Use the Ministry's online complaints service (log in with your QID), call the hotline 16008, or visit a Ministry office. The Ministry first tries to settle the dispute between you and the employer.
- Labour Dispute Settlement Committee. If there is no settlement, the case goes to the committee, which can order the employer to pay. If a company cannot pay awarded dues, the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund may step in.
Tips for workers
- Know your basic. Your contract should show your basic salary separately from allowances. Overtime and gratuity both depend on it.
- Know your normal hours. Your contract should say your daily and weekly hours. Overtime starts after these, and never later than 8 hours a day or 48 a week.
- Track Ramadan hours. During Ramadan, normal hours drop to 6 a day. Hours beyond that are overtime.
- Compare with other Gulf countries. If you have worked elsewhere in the Gulf, rules differ. See our UAE Overtime Calculator and Saudi Overtime Calculator.
- Check rest days. You should have at least one full day off each week. Long runs of work with no rest day are not allowed for most workers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rate in Qatar?
Under Article 74 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, each overtime hour must be paid at no less than the basic hourly wage plus 25%, so at least 125% of the basic hourly wage.
How much is night overtime in Qatar?
For work between 9 pm and 6 am, Article 74 says the worker gets the basic wage plus at least 50%, so 150% of the basic hourly wage. Shift workers are excepted from this night rate.
What do I get for working on Friday in Qatar?
Friday is the normal weekly rest day. If you must work on your rest day, Article 75 says you get another day off to replace it and pay for the work, at the rest-day rate or the basic wage plus at least 150%. Non-shift workers cannot be made to work two Fridays in a row.
What are the maximum working hours in Qatar?
Normal working hours are a maximum of 48 hours a week and 8 hours a day. During Ramadan the maximum is 36 hours a week and 6 hours a day. Breaks of one to three hours are not counted as working hours.
How many overtime hours are allowed per day in Qatar?
Total actual working hours, including overtime, must not go above 10 hours a day. On a normal 8-hour day, that leaves room for 2 overtime hours. The only exception is work needed to prevent or reduce serious loss or a dangerous accident.
Is overtime in Qatar based on basic or gross salary?
The Labour Law links overtime pay to the basic wage. Housing, transport and other allowances are not included unless your contract says so.
How do I calculate my hourly basic wage in Qatar?
A common method is monthly basic salary divided by 30 days, then divided by 8 hours. For a QAR 3,000 basic salary this gives QAR 12.50 per hour. Some employers use a weekly method instead, so check your contract.
Are managers entitled to overtime in Qatar?
Article 76 says the working hours, overtime and weekly rest rules in Articles 73 to 75 do not apply to people in senior positions who hold the employer's authority over other workers.
Do domestic workers get overtime pay in Qatar?
Domestic workers are covered by Law No. 15 of 2017, not the main Labour Law. That law limits work to 10 hours a day and gives a weekly day off, but it does not use the overtime rates in Article 74.
What can I do if my employer does not pay overtime?
Keep a record of your hours and raise it with HR in writing. If it is not fixed, file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour online or on hotline 16008. Unsettled cases go to the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee.
Disclaimer: This Qatar overtime calculator gives an estimate only and is not legal advice. Your real pay depends on your contract, your employer's records and how the law applies to your job. Please confirm with your employer or the Qatar Ministry of Labour.
Sources / references: Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 (Articles 3, 73, 74, 75 and 76), as amended, including Law No. 18 of 2020 and Law No. 9 of 2026; Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers; Qatar minimum wage law of 2020; Qatar Ministry of Labour – mol.gov.qa; Al Meezan Qatar Legal Portal – almeezan.qa.