Working Hours and Overtime in Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, 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.

Between now and 2026, regulators and stakeholders in Papua New Guinea are placing increasing emphasis on transparent working-time arrangements, accurate timekeeping, and proactive fatigue management. You should formalize standard hours, overtime approval processes, and rest entitlements in written contracts and policies, maintain reliable attendance and payroll records, and regularly review rosters to ensure that employees are not working excessive hours without appropriate compensation or rest. Anticipate tighter enforcement and potential updates to sector-specific rules, particularly in high-risk industries, and be prepared to adjust your practices quickly if new regulations or codes of practice are introduced.

• 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 Papua New Guinea?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week. An employee whose age is 17 or older is allowed to work 44 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 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Papua New Guinea

Under common practice in Papua New Guinea, a standard full-time schedule is generally based on 44 hours per week, usually spread over five days. This often means 8 hours per day Monday to Friday, with an additional shorter day or flexible distribution depending on the industry and the employment contract. You should clearly define daily and weekly limits in employment agreements and internal policies, ensuring that any hours beyond the agreed standard are treated as overtime and compensated accordingly.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Mining And Resource Extraction Operations
• Construction And Infrastructure Projects
• Agriculture, Forestry, And Seasonal Work
• Transport, Shipping, And Aviation Services
• Healthcare, Hospitals, And Emergency Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Retail Services

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain professional or supervisory staff in Papua New Guinea are often treated as having greater flexibility in their working hours. Their remuneration may be structured on a salary basis that is intended to cover reasonable additional hours without separate overtime payments. As an employer, you should clearly identify which roles are genuinely managerial or exempt, describe their expected working patterns, and confirm in writing whether overtime is included in their salary or paid separately. Misclassifying non-managerial staff as exempt can expose you to back-pay claims and penalties.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Papua New Guinea

In practice, full-time employment in Papua New Guinea is typically based on a 44-hour workweek. Many employers implement a schedule of 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday, with the remaining hours either absorbed through slightly longer days or a half-day arrangement, depending on operational needs. You should ensure that your internal policies specify the normal hours of work, how any changes will be communicated, and how overtime is authorized and recorded. Written employment contracts and clear rosters are essential to demonstrate compliance with working-time expectations and to manage fatigue and safety risks.

Overtime Regulations In Papua New Guinea

What Counts As Overtime In Papua New Guinea?

Overtime in Papua New Guinea generally refers to any time an employee works in excess of the normal daily or weekly hours agreed in the employment contract or workplace policy, typically beyond about 8 hours per day or 44 hours per week for full-time staff. Overtime can arise from extended shifts, work performed on rest days, or work performed on public holidays. To remain compliant, you should define standard hours, specify when overtime begins, and require prior authorization from a supervisor before employees work additional hours.

Maximum Overtime In Papua New Guinea

While Papua New Guinea does not have a single, universally applied statutory cap on overtime hours across all sectors, you are expected to manage overtime so that total working time remains reasonable and does not compromise employee health and safety. Many employers use internal limits, such as capping overtime to a set number of hours per week or per month, and requiring higher-level approval for any excess. You should monitor rosters and time records to ensure that employees are not working excessive hours over prolonged periods and that they still receive adequate daily and weekly rest.

Overtime Payout Rates In Papua New Guinea

Overtime pay in Papua New Guinea is typically calculated as a premium on the employee’s ordinary hourly rate. Common practice is to pay at least 1.5 times the normal rate for overtime worked on ordinary working days, and a higher rate – often double time – for work performed on Sundays or public holidays, depending on the applicable contract, award, or company policy. You should clearly document overtime rates in employment contracts, payroll rules, and staff handbooks, and ensure that all overtime hours are accurately recorded and paid in the next payroll cycle. Transparent calculations and payslip details help you avoid disputes and demonstrate compliance during audits or inspections.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, employees commonly work around 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week, and rest periods and breaks are intended to ensure that these hours are worked safely and sustainably. As an employer, you should schedule meal and rest breaks within the working day, provide adequate daily time off between shifts, and guarantee weekly rest so that employees can recover from their normal workload and any authorized overtime.

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