Working Hours and Overtime in Egypt

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Egypt?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 36 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 48 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 60 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 9:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Egypt

Under Egyptian labor law, the standard working time for adult employees is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, excluding unpaid meal and rest breaks. You must schedule working hours so that employees do not exceed these limits on a regular basis. Daily working time should be organized to avoid continuous work without appropriate breaks.

Collective agreements or internal work regulations may set shorter daily or weekly hours, but they cannot lawfully increase the statutory maximum of 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. You are required to display working time schedules at the workplace and keep accurate records of attendance and hours worked. Any work beyond the agreed schedule must be treated and compensated as overtime in line with statutory rules.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules that allow for longer shifts but require equivalent compensatory rest. In practice, this often means organizing work in shifts so that the average weekly hours still do not exceed 48 over the applicable reference period. You should verify whether any ministerial decrees or sectoral collective agreements apply to your operations.

• Healthcare professionals may work 12-hour shifts with extended rest periods.
• Transport workers must comply with EU-aligned rest and driving limits.
• Manufacturing and security staff often rotate through night or weekend shifts.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. You should document shift patterns and rest periods carefully to demonstrate compliance in the event of an inspection or dispute.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial employees in Egypt may have more flexible schedules and are sometimes treated as not strictly bound by the standard daily limits, but they are still protected by general health and safety principles. Where managers are excluded from overtime pay by law or contract, this must be clearly documented in their employment agreements. You should avoid imposing excessive hours that could be considered abusive or contrary to public policy.

For non-managerial staff classified as exempt from certain working time rules, the basis for exemption must be grounded in the Labor Law or an applicable decree. Titles alone are not sufficient, and you should assess the actual duties and level of autonomy when determining whether overtime premiums apply. Clear written terms and transparent communication help reduce the risk of misclassification claims.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Egypt

In Egypt, full-time work is generally understood as 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for adult employees. Many employers, particularly in professional or office environments, voluntarily adopt a 40-hour week spread over 5 days while remaining within the statutory ceiling. Any arrangement that regularly exceeds 48 hours per week would conflict with the Labor Law.

You may implement part-time or reduced-hour schedules by mutual agreement, provided that terms are clearly set out in the employment contract. When employees work less than full-time, pay and benefits can be prorated according to hours worked, but you must still respect minimum wage, social insurance, and health and safety obligations. Changes to full-time status should be documented through written amendments and not imposed unilaterally.

Overtime Regulations In Egypt

As an employer in Egypt, you must control and document all hours worked beyond the standard 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Accurate timekeeping systems are essential to calculate overtime premiums correctly and to demonstrate compliance during inspections or disputes. Failure to manage overtime lawfully can result in back pay awards, administrative fines, and potential criminal liability for repeated or serious violations.

What Counts As Overtime In Egypt?

Overtime in Egypt generally means any working time that exceeds the employee’s normal daily or weekly schedule, subject to the statutory ceiling of 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Work performed beyond these limits, whether requested formally or informally, must be treated as overtime and paid at the applicable premium rate. You should ensure that overtime is authorized in advance and recorded in a reliable system.

Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day or on official public holidays is also treated as overtime and attracts higher statutory premiums. If an employee agrees to work on their weekly rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day in addition to the premium pay. Clear internal policies on when and how overtime may be requested will help you avoid disputes about entitlement and rates.

Maximum Overtime In Egypt

Egyptian labor law limits overtime to a maximum of 2 hours per day, meaning total daily working time should not normally exceed 10 hours including overtime. In practice, this translates to a typical cap of 12 overtime hours per week if employees work 6 days, although you should keep overall weekly working time within 48 hours as far as possible. Overtime should be used only to meet temporary business needs rather than as a permanent staffing solution.

Over a longer reference period, authorities expect that overtime remains exceptional and does not endanger employee health and safety. Internal policies can set stricter caps, such as limiting overtime to 10–12 hours per week and 40–50 hours per month, to reduce fatigue and legal risk. You should obtain employee consent for overtime and keep written records of hours and reasons, especially when approaching the daily 2-hour limit.

Overtime Payout Rates In Egypt

Under Egyptian labor law, overtime performed during daytime hours is paid at a minimum of 135% of the employee’s normal hourly wage, equivalent to a 35% premium. Night overtime, typically between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., must be paid at a minimum of 170% of the normal hourly wage, reflecting a 70% premium. These are statutory minimums, and you may agree to higher rates in contracts or collective agreements.

Work performed on the weekly rest day or on official public holidays must be compensated at a minimum of 200% of the normal wage, that is 2.0x pay, in addition to granting a substitute rest day for weekly rest work. When calculating overtime, you should base the hourly rate on the employee’s regular wage including fixed allowances that are considered part of the basic remuneration. Payroll records should clearly show the number of overtime hours, the applicable rate such as 135%, 170%, or 200%, and the total overtime amount paid for each pay period.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Egypt

In Egypt, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect their health within these limits. The law requires that working time be organized so that employees do not work more than 5 continuous hours without a break. You must structure schedules and on-site practices so that these breaks and daily and weekly rest periods are actually taken in practice.

• Meal Break: Employees may not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a meal or rest break, and this break is usually at least 30–60 minutes depending on the nature of the work. In many workplaces, a 60-minute unpaid meal break is standard for employees working a full 8-hour day.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a minimum of 11 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one workday and the start of the next. You should schedule shifts so that travel time and handover duties do not erode this daily rest period.
• Weekly Rest: Egyptian law guarantees at least one full paid rest day per week, commonly Friday, during which employees should not be required to work. If business needs require work on the weekly rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day and pay the applicable overtime premium.
• Minors: Workers under 18 years old are subject to stricter limits, including a maximum of 6 working hours per day and a prohibition on working more than 4 consecutive hours without a rest break. You must also ensure that minors receive adequate daily and weekly rest and are not scheduled for night work.
• Employer Duty: Employers are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just written into policies. Labor inspectors may review schedules and time records, so you should maintain clear documentation of breaks and rest days for all staff.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Egypt

Night and weekend work are legal in Egypt but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must ensure that such work does not endanger employee health and that it complies with limits on daily hours, overtime, and rest periods. Written policies and clear communication are important to manage expectations and demonstrate compliance.

Night work in Egypt is generally understood as work performed between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., during which employees are entitled to higher overtime premiums when hours exceed the normal schedule. Certain categories of workers, such as minors and pregnant employees, face restrictions or prohibitions on night work to protect their health. You should identify roles that regularly involve night shifts and assess whether additional safeguards or allowances are appropriate.

• Premium Pay: For overtime hours worked at night, you must pay at least 170% of the employee’s normal hourly wage, reflecting a 70% premium over the base rate. Some employers choose to add an additional fixed night-shift allowance on top of the 170% statutory minimum to attract and retain staff.
• Health Monitoring: While Egyptian law does not mandate periodic medical examinations for all night workers, you are required to protect employee health and safety under general occupational safety rules. Many employers therefore offer regular health checks and fatigue management measures for staff who routinely work night shifts.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from working at night, particularly in hazardous or industrial settings. Pregnant workers should not be assigned to night shifts or heavy night work where this could pose risks, and you should consider medical recommendations and reasonable accommodations.

Weekend work in Egypt typically concerns Friday as the main weekly rest day, and in many organizations Saturday is also treated as a non-working day. If employees work on their weekly rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day and pay at least 200% of the normal wage for those hours, while work on other weekend days outside the normal schedule is treated as overtime at the applicable premium rate.