Working Too Many Hours in Kuwait? Here’s What Kuwait Says About Overtime

If you’ve ever stayed late at work in Kuwait and wondered whether your boss can actually ask you to do that for free, there’s an answer. And it’s written into the law.

The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has just put out a reminder, as part of its “Know Your Rights” campaign, about exactly how many hours you can legally be asked to work, when you’re owed a break, and what happens when your employer wants you to stay beyond your shift.

It’s a short advisory, but it matters. A lot of workers in Kuwait, especially those new to the country, simply don’t know these numbers exist.

What the law actually says

PAM’s reminder points to three specific articles in Kuwait’s Labour Law: Articles 64, 65 and 66. Together, these cover working hours, rest periods and overtime pay.

Article 64 sets the daily and weekly cap: 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week. That’s the standard across most private sector jobs in Kuwait, outside of a few exceptions tied to specific industries or Ramadan hours.

Article 65 deals with rest. If your working period goes on for more than five hours in a row without a break, you’re legally owed one. This is meant to stop employers running staff through long stretches with no pause for food, prayer or simply catching a breath.

Article 66 is the overtime rule. It allows employers to ask staff to work beyond the standard hours when the job genuinely needs it, but it comes with conditions: the extra hours have to stay within set limits, they need to be documented properly, and the worker must be compensated for every extra hour worked.

So who does this apply to?

These protections cover employees working under Kuwait’s Labour Law, which includes the vast majority of private sector workers, both Kuwaiti citizens and expats. If you’re on a company payroll in the private sector, this is your law.

It’s worth remembering this sits alongside other protections PAM and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour have been pushing lately, including the rules on firing, resigning and contract termination and the newer notice period and end-of-service rights for workers. Overtime pay and these other entitlements often come up together when a work relationship ends, so it helps to know both.

What if your employer isn’t following this?

PAM’s advisory doesn’t just list obligations for employers, it reminds everyone that employers do have the right to request overtime when the business genuinely needs it. The key word is documented. If you’re doing extra hours, there should be a record of it, and that record is what backs up your right to extra pay.

If that’s not happening, if you’re working unpaid overtime, getting no rest break on long shifts, or your hours go well past 48 a week with no compensation, you don’t have to just accept it.

1. Keep your own simple record of the hours you actually work, including start and finish times.
2. Raise it with your employer directly first, in writing if possible, so there’s a paper trail.
3. If nothing changes, you can file a formal complaint. The Sahel app now lets workers report eight types of labour violations straight to the Ministry, and we’ve covered how to file a complaint against your employer through Sahel step by step.
4. PAM offices can also take your case directly if the Sahel route doesn’t resolve things.

<p>[EDITOR NOTE: add a line here about your own experience filing an overtime or working-hours complaint with PAM, or what a reader told you about theirs]</p>

What this means for people living in Kuwait

For expat workers especially, these numbers are worth memorising: 8 hours a day, 48 a week, a break after 5 hours straight, and pay for anything beyond that. A lot of disputes between workers and employers in Kuwait come down to exactly this, hours worked versus hours paid.

For employers, PAM’s message is just as direct. Overtime isn’t banned, it’s allowed when needed, but it has to be documented and paid. Cutting corners here isn’t just unfair, it’s against the law PAM is actively reminding people about.

For Kuwaiti citizens in the workforce, the same articles apply. This isn’t an expat-only protection, it’s built into the general Labour Law covering the private sector.

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