Working Hours and Overtime in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, your company must comply with working hour and overtime laws – including daily limits, overtime thresholds, and rest requirements – to stay compliant and build a strong employee experience.

Although Hong Kong does not impose a single statutory cap on working hours for most adult employees, the Employment Ordinance sets out core protections on wages, rest days, holidays, and young persons’ work, and regulators are increasingly focused on excessive working hours and mental health risks. As 2026 approaches, employers should expect closer scrutiny of working-time practices, stronger emphasis on occupational safety and health, and potential policy moves toward clearer guidance on standard hours and overtime management. Proactive compliance – through transparent contracts, accurate timekeeping, and fair compensation for additional hours – will help you avoid disputes and support retention in a competitive labour market.

• Standard Working Hours
• Overtime Thresholds
• Overtime Pay Rates
• Daily And Weekly Rest Requirements
• Night Work Restrictions
• Penalties For Non-Compliance

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Hong Kong?

An employee whose age is 15 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. An employee whose age is 16 or older is allowed to work 48 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 5 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 9:00 to 18:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Hong Kong

Hong Kong does not currently prescribe a universal statutory cap on daily or weekly working hours for most adult employees, but employers are expected to adopt reasonable working schedules and to comply with contractual terms, health and safety obligations, and specific protections for young persons. In practice, many full-time employment contracts are based on around 8 hours per day and 40–48 hours per week, excluding meal breaks. You should clearly define normal working hours in each employment contract, including start and finish times, rest breaks, and whether work on rest days or public holidays may be required.

For young persons aged 15–17 employed in industrial undertakings, there are specific limits on daily and weekly hours, night work, and overtime under the Employment Ordinance and related regulations. Employers must verify ages, keep proper records, and ensure that scheduling complies with these protections. Even where no explicit statutory cap applies, excessively long hours can give rise to occupational safety and health risks, potential claims of unreasonable variation of contract, and reputational damage.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Retail And Hospitality Operations
• Construction And Industrial Undertakings
• Transport, Logistics, And Warehousing
• Financial Services And Professional Firms
• Domestic Helpers And Live-In Caregivers

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial and highly skilled employees in Hong Kong are often engaged on a more flexible hours basis, where performance and responsibilities matter more than strict timekeeping. Their contracts may not specify a rigid daily schedule, and they may not receive separate overtime pay, provided that this arrangement is clearly documented and consistent with the Employment Ordinance. However, these employees are still entitled to statutory rest days, holidays, and other core protections, and you must ensure that workloads and expectations do not compromise health and safety.

When classifying employees as managerial or exempt for working-time and overtime purposes, focus on their actual duties – such as authority over hiring and firing, budget responsibility, and decision-making power – rather than job titles alone. Misclassifying staff to avoid paying overtime or providing rest days can lead to disputes, back payments, and enforcement action. Maintain transparent policies on working hours, time recording, and compensation for additional work, even for senior staff.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Hong Kong

Hong Kong law does not define a single statutory number of hours that constitutes full-time work. Instead, full-time status is determined by the employment contract and common market practice, which typically ranges from 40 to 48 hours per week, excluding meal breaks. This contractual definition is important because eligibility for certain statutory benefits – such as rest days, paid annual leave, and sickness allowance – depends on whether an employee is employed under a continuous contract, generally meaning at least 18 hours per week over a period of four or more consecutive weeks.

As an employer, you should clearly state in each contract whether the role is full-time or part-time, the normal weekly hours, and how any additional hours will be treated. Ensure that your internal policies on full-time status align with statutory thresholds for continuous employment and that you regularly review working patterns to confirm that employees are receiving the entitlements they qualify for under the Employment Ordinance.

Overtime Regulations In Hong Kong

What Counts As Overtime In Hong Kong?

In Hong Kong, overtime is generally understood as any time an employee works in excess of the normal working hours specified in their employment contract or agreed work schedule. The Employment Ordinance does not impose a single statutory definition of overtime for all sectors, so the contract – together with company policies and any collective agreements – plays a central role in determining when overtime arises and how it is compensated.

Overtime can include work performed before or after the normal shift, work performed during meal breaks at the employer’s request, and work on rest days or public holidays. To manage risk, you should implement a clear overtime policy that covers when overtime must be pre-approved, how it is recorded, and whether it is compensated by additional pay, time off in lieu, or a combination of both. Accurate timekeeping systems and signed timesheets are essential to avoid disputes about hours worked.

Maximum Overtime In Hong Kong

There is no universal statutory ceiling on overtime hours for most adult employees in Hong Kong, but employers must still ensure that total working hours – including overtime – remain reasonable and do not endanger employees’ health and safety. For young persons in industrial undertakings, specific limits apply to daily and weekly hours and to night work, and overtime is tightly restricted or prohibited. Breaching these rules can result in prosecution.

From a compliance and risk-management perspective, you should set internal caps on overtime, such as a maximum number of overtime hours per day, per week, and per month, and require managerial approval for any exceptions. Monitor overtime patterns to identify departments or roles where excessive hours are becoming the norm, and consider redistributing workloads, hiring additional staff, or adjusting staffing models to reduce reliance on sustained overtime.

Overtime Payout Rates In Hong Kong

Hong Kong law does not prescribe a single statutory overtime premium rate for all employees. Instead, overtime pay is largely governed by the employment contract, provided that the overall arrangement complies with the Employment Ordinance, including rules on wages, rest days, and public holidays. Many employers choose to pay overtime at 1.0–1.5 times the basic hourly rate for non-managerial staff, and may offer higher rates or fixed allowances for work on rest days or public holidays.

Where an employee is paid by the hour, day, or piece, you must ensure that the calculation of overtime pay is transparent and based on the agreed wage rate. For monthly-paid employees, you should clearly set out in the contract whether the monthly salary already includes a certain amount of overtime, and if so, how additional hours beyond that threshold will be compensated. Always itemise overtime payments on wage statements, keep detailed records of hours worked, and ensure that any time off in lieu arrangements are documented and taken within a reasonable period.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, employees commonly work around 8 hours per day and 40–48 hours per week under their contracts, and rest periods and breaks are designed to ensure that these working hours do not compromise health, safety, or productivity. You must schedule reasonable meal breaks within the working day, provide at least one rest day in every period of seven days for employees under continuous contracts, and ensure that any additional hours or shift work do not erode these minimum rest protections.

• Meal Break Requirements
• Daily Rest
• Weekly Rest
• Minors
• Employer Duties