Kuwait Labour: Working Hours, Salary, and Overtime in Kuwait

Just like the other countries in Middle East, Kuwait has interesting things to offer when talking about employment. Some expats chose to work here for different reasons and for sure, one factor is that there is no personal taxation in this country. If you’re just started working here in this country or planning to within this year, there are important matter you need to consider. These include the working hours, salary, and overtime pay.

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Before you even fly to a different country to work, be sure to obtain information that can affect your stay in that country. For example, if you are considering Kuwait, do you agree to the labor law they have there? Are you okay with the salary? Are you up to work overtime? These are just some of the questions you have to ask yourself prior to deciding. To keep you guided on the working hours, salary, and overtime in Kuwait, here’s the list of things you need to know.

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What you need to know about Working in Kuwait – Salary and Hours

Here are some important tips and details if ever you come to Kuwait and search for employment. Please be guided accordingly.

Salary in Kuwait

• No personal tax so you can take home a higher net income.
• The old salary in Kuwait was composed of basic salary, air tickets for going home, car allowance, housing allowance, medical coverage and fee for the education of children.
• The new salary here is consolidated to cover all these allowances, meaning, your basic salary now is a combination of your basic pay and all other allowances. There are instances that performance bonuses are given on top of your basic pay.
• Employees are entitled to indemnity at the end of contract. This serves as a thank-you reward for expats for rendering their services to the state. Usually, this is equivalent to 15 days of basic pay per year for the first three years of service and a month’s salary per for the succeeding years. Not bad for those who want to live a high life after years of working.

Working Hours and Overtime in Kuwait

• The working hours in Kuwait varies. There are some companies that require 40 and 48 hours per week depending on their policies.
• Office hours can be 8:30 to 9:00 or 5:30 to 6:00.
• During Ramadan, working hours is reduced to 6 hours per day to honor the sacredness of the celebration. This is legally applied to all employees but there are cases that companies only apply this to Muslims.
• Friday is a rest day in Kuwait. This can be followed by either Saturday or Thursday, depending on the policy of the company. Still you will have 2 rest days a week that can serve as your weekends.
• If you work beyond the working hours, you should be entitled to overtime pay equal to 125% or 150% of your basic pay per hour.

Be reminded that usually, these provisions are in your employment contract. Reading your agreement with your employer should be a must if you want to maximize your advantage as an employee in Kuwait. Remember, being aware of the labor law is an edge for expats working abroad.

It is always good to know what to expect beforehand to avoid issues with your employer when you finally land a job. In Kuwait, please be reminded of these provisions and understand each point to the best of your ability. Having the knowledge is very important to be aware of your rights as an employee and avoid further issues in the future.