Employee rights
Kuwait Labour Law (2026): Leave, Working Hours, Notice & Probation
Private-sector employee rights in Kuwait under Kuwait Law No. 6 of 2010 on Labour in the Private Sector (as amended): working and Ramadan hours, overtime, annual, sick and maternity leave, probation, notice and termination.
Quick answer
- Working hours: The maximum is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week.
- Annual leave: 30 days of fully paid annual leave a year, available after 6 months of service.
- Probation period: Probation can last up to 100 days and only applies if it is written in your contract.
- Notice period: For an open-ended contract, notice is 3 months for monthly-paid workers and 1 month for all other workers.
- Law
- Kuwait Law No. 6 of 2010 on Labour in the Private Sector (as amended)
- Authority
- Public Authority for Manpower (PAM)
- Who it covers
- Covers employees of private-sector employers in Kuwait, including expatriates on an Article 18 (private-sector work) residence. Government employees follow the civil service system. Domestic workers (Article 20 residence) have their own separate rules and are not covered here.
Working hours
The maximum is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week.
- You get a break of at least one hour after 5 hours of continuous work.
- If you must work without a break for technical or urgent reasons, your working day must be cut by one hour.
- Since 1 November 2025, employers must record each worker's shifts and rest periods on a PAM online system (Ministerial Resolution No. 15 of 2025).
Article 64
Sources:migrant-rights.orggpg-pdf.chambers.compaulhastings.comhfw.com
Ramadan working hours
During Ramadan, working hours must not exceed 36 hours a week.
- The 36-hour weekly limit comes from the same article that sets normal working hours.
- Hours worked above the limit count as overtime and must be paid as overtime.
Article 64
Overtime
Overtime is paid at your normal hourly wage plus at least 25%.
- Overtime is limited to 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, 180 hours a year and 90 days a year.
- Work on your weekly rest day earns an extra 50% plus a replacement rest day.
- Work on an official public holiday earns double pay (an extra 100%) plus a replacement day off.
- The employer must keep records of overtime dates, hours and pay.
Article 66
Weekly rest day
You get a paid rest day of at least 24 hours in a row after every 6 days of work.
- If your employer asks you to work on your rest day, you get an extra 50% of your wage and another rest day in its place.
- Official public holidays are paid days off; working on one earns double pay plus a replacement day.
Article 67
See public holidays →Annual leave
30 days of fully paid annual leave a year, available after 6 months of service.
- Weekly rest days, official holidays and sick leave days are not counted in the 30 days.
- You can carry over unused leave for up to 2 years.
- You cannot give up your annual leave, with or without payment.
Article 70
Sick leave
Up to 75 days of sick leave on a sliding scale: 15 days at full pay, then 10 days at 75%, 10 at 50%, 10 at 25% and 30 days unpaid.
- You must tell your employer when you take sick leave.
- Sick leave cannot be deducted from your annual leave.
- For a work injury or occupational disease, the employer pays all treatment costs and your full wage for up to 6 months, then 50% until you recover.
Article 69
Sources:migrant-rights.org
Maternity leave
70 days of fully paid maternity leave.
- After maternity leave, you can ask for up to 4 more months of unpaid leave to care for your child.
- Your employer cannot dismiss you during this leave.
- Nursing mothers are entitled to a daily nursing break of 2 hours for up to 2 years.
Article 24
Paternity leave
The private-sector Labour Law does not give fathers any paternity leave.
- Any paternity leave depends on your contract or company policy.
- Fathers can use their annual leave around the birth.
Sources:wageindicator.org
Bereavement leave
3 days of paid leave when a relative up to the second degree dies.
- A Muslim woman whose husband dies gets paid iddah leave of 4 months and 10 days from the date of death.
- A non-Muslim woman whose husband dies gets up to 21 days of paid leave.
Article 77
Hajj leave
21 days of paid leave, once, to perform Hajj after 2 years of continuous service with the same employer.
- It is for Muslim workers who have not performed Hajj before.
- Hajj leave is separate from your 30 days of annual leave.
Article 76
Sources:mohamah.netmigrant-rights.org
Probation period
Probation can last up to 100 days and only applies if it is written in your contract.
- You can serve only one probation period with the same employer.
- During probation, either you or your employer can end the contract without notice.
- If the contract ends during probation, you cannot move to a new employer in Kuwait and must leave the country.
Article 32
Sources:migrant-rights.org
Notice period
For an open-ended contract, notice is 3 months for monthly-paid workers and 1 month for all other workers.
- The side that does not give the full notice must pay the other side wages for the notice period.
- When your employer gives you notice, you can take one paid day (or 8 hours) a week to look for a new job, if you tell your employer a day in advance.
- You cannot be dismissed while on legal leave, or because of union membership, gender, race or religion.
Article 44
Sources:migrant-rights.org
Termination and end-of-service pay
Monthly-paid workers get end-of-service pay of 15 days' wages for each of the first 5 years and one month's wages for each year after, capped at 1.5 years' wages.
- Workers paid daily, weekly, hourly or by piece get 10 days' pay per year for the first 5 years and 15 days per year after, capped at one year's pay. Part years count pro rata.
- Your employer can dismiss you without notice or end-of-service pay only in limited cases, such as an error causing serious loss, fraud to get the job, or leaking company secrets.
- You can quit without notice and keep your rights if the employer breaks the contract or the law, assaults you, or falsely accuses you of a crime and you are acquitted.
- If you resign for other reasons, you may receive only part of your end-of-service pay.
- Since 2018, employers can no longer deduct their social security (PIFSS) contributions from your end-of-service pay.
Article 51
Calculate your end-of-service gratuity →Sources:migrant-rights.orggpg-pdf.chambers.compaulhastings.com
Frequently asked questions
How many days of annual leave do I get in Kuwait?
30 days of fully paid leave a year once you have completed 6 months of service. Weekends, public holidays and sick days do not count toward the 30 days.
When must my salary be paid?
Monthly-paid workers must be paid at least once a month, in Kuwaiti dinars, into a bank account. Pay cannot be more than 7 days late.
Can my employer keep my passport?
No. You have the right to keep your passport and travel documents, and employers are not allowed to hold them. You can complain to PAM if this happens.
How is end-of-service gratuity calculated in Kuwait?
For monthly-paid staff: 15 days' wages for each of the first 5 years, then one month's wages for each later year, up to a maximum of 1.5 years' wages. Resigning can reduce the amount.
Do I need my employer's permission to leave Kuwait?
Yes. Since 1 July 2025, private-sector expatriates on an Article 18 residence need an employer-approved exit permit for any trip abroad. You request it in the Sahel app. If your employer refuses without a valid reason, you can complain to PAM.
Can I work more than 8 hours a day?
Only as paid overtime: up to 2 extra hours a day, 3 days a week, 180 hours a year. Each overtime hour is paid at your normal rate plus 25%.
Last reviewed: 17 Oct 2026. General information based on the official sources cited - not legal advice. Check with the relevant authority before acting.
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