Overtime Calculator (Saudi Arabia): Private & Government Sectors

It depends on the sector. Private sector (Article 107 of the Saudi Labor Law): hourly rate = basic salary ÷ 240, and the overtime rate is hourly × 1.5. Government sector (Civil Service HR Regulation): the monthly base is 155 hours, and overtime is paid at 1.0× the regular hourly rate, with a daily cap of 50% of the daily salary (100% on holidays).

For Saudi government employees, the Civil Service HR Regulation sets the formula: hourly rate = basic salary ÷ 155, and overtime is paid hour-for-hour (×1.0). The daily cap is 50% of the daily salary on regular days and rises to 100% on official holidays. Employees also receive an additional transport bonus equal to 1/30 of the monthly transport allowance per overtime day.

For a basic salary of SAR 8,000: private sector: 2 × (8000 ÷ 240 × 1.5) = 2 × 50 = SAR 100. Government sector: 2 × (8000 ÷ 155 × 1.0) = 2 × 51.61 = SAR 103.23. Use the calculator above to see the exact value for your salary.

Private: 240-hour monthly base, 1.5× multiplier, 720-hour annual cap, and Friday/holiday work is fully overtime. Government: 155-hour monthly base, 1.0× multiplier (hour for hour), 50% daily cap (100% on holidays), plus a transport bonus. The smaller divisor for the government compensates for the lower multiplier, so per-hour pay ends up similar in both sectors.

It is a sub-regulation within the Civil Service Executive HR Regulation issued by the Ministry of Human Resources. It governs when a Saudi government employee can be assigned overtime: the work must not be feasible during regular hours, must serve an exceptional or vacant role, and must not result from negligence. Once formally assigned, the employee may not refuse overtime without a legitimate excuse.

In the private sector, Article 107 calculates overtime based on the basic salary only, not the gross salary. In the government sector, the calculation uses the basic rank-and-grade salary, with a separate transport bonus paid on top (1/30 of the monthly transport allowance per overtime day).

In the private sector, overtime is capped at 720 hours per year, with daily working hours (including OT) not exceeding 11 hours. In the government sector, daily overtime is capped at 50% of the daily salary (rising to 100% on official holidays), with no fixed annual cap but constrained by daily and monthly limits.

Yes. Private sector: every hour worked on the weekly rest day or holiday is paid at the 1.5× overtime rate plus a compensatory rest day. Government sector: holiday/Eid work pays up to 100% of the daily salary, double the cap of regular weekdays.

Ministry of Health, Health Holding Company, and Medical Cities staff fall under the Civil Service HR Regulation for overtime: i.e., 155 hours/month, 1.0× multiplier, 50% daily cap. Special shift-pay schemes may apply to physicians and nurses, separate from traditional overtime.

Private sector: the employee can decline unless a statutory necessity applies; the employer cannot force overtime except in emergencies. Government sector: once formally assigned, the employee cannot refuse overtime without a legitimate excuse, as refusal is treated as a breach of duty under the HR Regulation.