How many hours can you legally work per week in the UAE?

Under the UAE Labour Law, the maximum normal working time for a private-sector employee is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. This weekly figure is a legal ceiling for ordinary hours, and many employers schedule fewer. Hours worked beyond your normal schedule at the employer's request are generally treated as overtime and compensated separately, and the law also caps how much overtime can be added on top. Certain sectors and roles can have their working hours increased or reduced by decision of the relevant authority, so specific arrangements exist for some types of work. The weekly limit works alongside your entitlement to a weekly rest day and to rest breaks during the working day. During Ramadan, normal hours are reduced. To confirm the exact limit for your sector and how overtime caps apply, check with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. If your weekly hours consistently exceed the legal maximum without proper overtime treatment, you can raise it with MOHRE, and you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.