Last Updated on July 14, 2026

Overtime calculation in Qatar is regulated by Qatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 and its amendments. The law explains normal working hours, overtime limits, rest periods, night-work rates, weekly rest days, and public holidays.

The main provisions relating to working hours and overtime appear in Articles 73 to 78, not Section 35. These rules generally apply to private-sector employees covered by the Qatar Labour Law.

Overtime Calculator in Qatar

Use our easy-to-use Overtime Calculator in Qatar to estimate your overtime earnings.

The calculator can help you calculate additional pay for:

• Over time on normal working days
• Nighttime overtime
• Work performed on weekly rest days
• Work performed during public holidays

Enter your basic monthly salary and overtime hours below to receive an estimated overtime amount.

Note: This calculator provides an estimate based on the employee’s basic salary. The employment contract, company policy and applicable labour regulations may provide more favourable benefits.

Working Hours and Overtime in Qatar

Before calculating overtime in Qatar, you should understand the following rules.

Regular Working Hours

The maximum normal working time is:

• 8 hours per day
• 48 hours per week

During Ramadan, the maximum working time is reduced to:

• 6 hours per day
• 36 hours per week

These reduced Ramadan hours apply under the Labour Law and are not limited only to Muslim employees.

Travel Time

The time an employee spends travelling between their accommodation and workplace does not normally count as working time.

Daily Break

An employee must not work for more than five consecutive hours without a break.

The employer must provide one or more breaks for prayer, rest and meals. The total break period must generally be at least one hour and no more than three hours. Break periods are not included in the employee’s working hours.

Maximum Daily Overtime

An employee who completes eight regular working hours may generally work up to two additional hours.

Therefore, the employee’s total actual working time should not exceed 10 hours per day. The employer may exceed this limit only when necessary to prevent a serious loss or accident or to repair or reduce the consequences of such an incident.

Weekly Rest Day

Employees must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of paid weekly rest. Friday is generally the weekly rest day, except for employees working under shift schedules.

When an employee works on a weekly rest day, the employer must provide another rest day and pay the compensation required under Article 75. Except for shift workers, an employee cannot be required to work for more than two consecutive Fridays.

Overtime Pay Rates in Qatar

1. Normal Working-Day Overtime

An employer must pay at least the employee’s basic hourly wage plus an additional 25%.

Therefore, the overtime rate is at least 125% of the basic hourly wage.

Formula:

Basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × overtime hours × 1.25

2. Nighttime Overtime

Employees who work between 9:00 PM and 3:00 AM must receive their basic hourly wage plus at least 50%.

Therefore, the nighttime overtime rate is at least 150% of the basic hourly wage. This special rate does not apply to employees working under regular shift schedules.

Formula:

Basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × nighttime overtime hours × 1.50

The current Ministry of Labour English text specifies 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM, not 6:00 AM.

3. Weekly Rest-Day Work

When an employee works on their weekly rest day, the employer must provide a replacement rest day and pay the compensation required by Article 75.

For an approximate calculator, the additional rest-day amount may be estimated as:

Basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × hours worked × 1.50

However, Article 75 also refers to the employee’s paid weekly rest entitlement. Therefore, the final payroll amount may depend on how the employee’s salary and weekly rest-day wage are structured.

4. Public-Holiday Overtime

Under the Ministry of Labour’s consolidated English text, employees required to work during a public holiday must receive compensation according to Article 74.

Therefore, the estimated rate is:

Daytime public-holiday work:

Basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × hours worked × 1.25

Public-holiday work between 9:00 PM and 3:00 AM:

Basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × hours worked × 1.50

Article 78 does not automatically provide an additional day off for public holiday work in the same way Article 75 provides a replacement day for work on a weekly rest day. However, an employment contract or company policy may provide a more favourable benefit.

How Many Public Holidays Are Employees Entitled to in Qatar?

Article 78 provides 10 working days of paid public holiday leave, distributed as follows:

• Three working days for Eid Al-Fitr
• Three working days for Eid Al-Adha
• One working day for Independence Day, as stated in the official English text
• Three additional working days selected by the employer

Therefore, the Labour Law provides 10 paid holiday days, not only seven days.

Employees Excluded from the Standard Overtime Rules

Doctors and engineers are not automatically excluded from overtime simply because of their professions.

Articles 73, 74, and 75 do not apply to employees holding key or responsible positions when those positions give them employer-like authority over other workers.

In addition, the ordinary working-hour provisions in Article 73 do not apply in the same way to:

• Employees performing preparatory or complementary work before or after normal working hours
• Security guards
• Cleaning workers
• Other categories specified by a ministerial decision

Separate maximum working-hour rules may apply to these employees.

The Labour Law itself also excludes certain categories that may be covered by separate laws, including government employees, armed forces and police personnel, maritime workers, domestic workers and some agricultural workers.

Overtime Calculation Formula in Qatar

First, calculate the employee’s basic hourly wage:

Basic hourly wage = Monthly basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8

You can then apply the appropriate overtime rate.

Overtime Calculation Example

Suppose an employee has the following details:

Basic monthly salary: QAR 3,000

Overtime worked:

• Normal working days: 50 hours
• Weekly rest day: 12 hours
• Public holiday during daytime: 5 hours

Step 1: Calculate the Basic Hourly Wage

QAR 3,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = QAR 12.50 per hour

Step 2: Calculate Normal-Day Overtime

QAR 12.50 × 50 × 1.25 = QAR 781.25

Step 3: Estimate Weekly Rest-Day Compensation

QAR 12.50 × 12 × 1.50 = QAR 225.00

The employee should also receive a replacement rest day under Article 75.

Step 4: Calculate Public-Holiday Overtime

QAR 12.50 × 5 × 1.25 = QAR 78.13

Step 5: Calculate Total Additional Earnings

QAR 781.25 + QAR 225.00 + QAR 78.13 = QAR 1,084.38

Step 6: Calculate Estimated Monthly Earnings

QAR 3,000 + QAR 1,084.38 = QAR 4,084.38

The employee would receive an estimated monthly payment of QAR 4,084.38, together with the replacement rest-day entitlement. The exact amount may differ depending on the employment contract, wage structure and payroll treatment.

Conclusion

Understanding overtime calculation in Qatar helps employees check whether they receive the correct payment for additional working hours.

Normal daytime overtime is generally paid at 125% of the basic hourly wage, while qualifying nighttime overtime is paid at 150%. Employees who work on their weekly rest day must also receive a replacement rest day.

Employees should review their employment contracts and salary records because a company may provide benefits that are more favourable than the minimum requirements of the Qatar Labour Law.

Related article: Learn how to calculate overtime in the UAE.

Learn overtime calculation in the UAE