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Kuwait overtime calculator
Overtime pay in Kuwait under the Labour Law: the hourly wage plus 25% on working days, at least 50% extra on your rest day and double on public holidays.
Overtime pay
The Kuwait overtime rates
| When you work | Pay for each hour | Plus | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra hours on a working day | 125% of the hourly wage | Art. 66 | |
| Weekly rest day | At least 150% | Another rest day | Art. 67 |
| Public holiday | 200% (double) | A substitute day off | Art. 68 |
The overtime calculation in Kuwait starts from the hourly wage: monthly wage ÷ 26 ÷ 8. A month has about 26 days of work, because Article 67 divides the salary by the actual working days without the weekly rest days; the 8 is the normal day in Article 64.
Worked example: working days
Wage KWD 520, 10 overtime hours this month: 520 ÷ 208 = KWD 2.500 an hour, × 1.25 = KWD 3.125, × 10 = KWD 31.250.
Worked example: a Friday and National Day
Wage KWD 390 (KWD 1.875 an hour). 8 hours on the weekly rest day and 8 hours on National Day.
- Rest day: 8 × 1.875 × 1.5 = KWD 22.500, plus another rest day.
- National Day: 8 × 1.875 × 2 = KWD 30.000, plus a substitute day.
- Total: KWD 52.500.
Kuwait overtime calculator table: rate per hour by wage
| Monthly wage | Hourly wage | Working day (125%) | Rest day (150%) | Holiday (200%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KWD 150 | KWD 0.721 | KWD 0.901 | KWD 1.082 | KWD 1.442 |
| KWD 250 | KWD 1.202 | KWD 1.502 | KWD 1.803 | KWD 2.404 |
| KWD 400 | KWD 1.923 | KWD 2.404 | KWD 2.885 | KWD 3.846 |
| KWD 600 | KWD 2.885 | KWD 3.606 | KWD 4.327 | KWD 5.769 |
| KWD 1000 | KWD 4.808 | KWD 6.010 | KWD 7.212 | KWD 9.615 |
Limits on overtime
| Rule | Limit | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Normal hours | 8 a day or 48 a week | Art. 64 |
| Ramadan | 36 a week | Art. 64 |
| Overtime a day | 2 hours | Art. 66 |
| Overtime a year | 180 hours, on 90 days at most | Art. 66 |
| Days a week with overtime | 3 | Art. 66 |
| Order | In writing, recorded in an overtime register | Art. 66 |
Hours above these limits break the law, but they must still be paid. Keep your own record of the hours you work.
Common mistakes
- Paying the holiday rate as 150%. Article 68 says double.
- Dividing by 30 days, which pays about 13% less an hour.
- Leaving the allowances out of the hourly wage.
- Not giving the extra rest day or substitute day.
Unpaid overtime belongs in your Kuwait final settlement when you leave. The rules in plain words: Kuwait overtime pay rules. Working elsewhere? Use the Saudi, Qatar or Oman overtime calculator.
Sources (checked October 2026): Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Arabic text (PAM print, June 2017), Arab Times: overtime calculation (Articles 66 to 68), Arab Times: overtime and compensatory leave (2025). Laws change, and the ministry or a court gives the final figure.
Questions
How is overtime calculated in Kuwait?
The hourly wage plus 25% (Article 66). The hourly wage is the monthly wage ÷ 26 working days ÷ 8 hours, so wage ÷ 208. On KWD 520 that is KWD 2.500 an hour, and 10 overtime hours pay KWD 31.250.
What is the overtime rate on Friday in Kuwait?
Work on your weekly rest day earns at least 50% extra on the wage, plus another rest day in return (Article 67). The calculator uses 150% of the hourly wage. Article 67 says "original wage", which some employers read as basic only.
What is the overtime rate on public holidays in Kuwait?
Double wage, plus a substitute day off (Article 68). Some pages say 150%, which is the rest-day rate, not the holiday rate.
How many overtime hours are allowed in Kuwait?
At most 2 hours a day, 180 hours a year, 3 days a week and 90 days a year, and only on the employer's written order (Article 66).
Is overtime in Kuwait paid on basic or total salary?
Article 66 pays the "ordinary wage", and Article 55 counts allowances paid periodically as part of the wage. So this calculator uses the total regular wage, as the Arab Times legal column does.
What are the working hours in Kuwait?
At most 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week (Article 64). In Ramadan, 36 hours a week.
Which days are public holidays in Kuwait?
13 days on full pay (Article 68): Hijri New Year 1, Isra and Miraj 1, Eid al-Fitr 3, Arafat Day 1, Eid al-Adha 3, the Prophet's Birthday 1, National Day 1, Liberation Day 1 and New Year's Day 1.
Why divide by 26 and 8?
Article 67 works out a day's wage as the salary ÷ the actual working days, without the weekly rest days (about 26 a month), and Article 64 sets 8 hours a day.
Read the guide
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