Ramadan Working HoursCalculator
See the reduced two-hour working day for UAE private-sector staff, with weekly and total hours across the expected 2027 month.
- Two-hour daily cut
- Expected 8 Feb 2027 start
- Weekly and monthly totals
- Free, no sign-up
Your working week
Free, instant, nothing is stored
Dates are predicted. The 2027 working-hours notice has not been published, so confirm your hours with your employer’s circular.
Ramadan working day
Reduced daily hours during Ramadan, with no cut in regular pay
About this calculator
This Ramadan working hours calculator shows the reduced day for UAE private-sector staff. The government portal says working hours fall by two hours a day in Ramadan, for Muslim and non-Muslim employees alike, without deducting regular wages. Enter your normal hours, and the tool returns the Ramadan day, the weekly hours and the total across the expected 2027 month.
The Ramadan working hours rule
The u.ae portal says private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours a day during Ramadan. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced the cut for 2026 on 12 February 2026, in a release carried by Sharjah24. We found no equivalent notice for 2027, so our Ramadan 2027 guide keeps tracking it.
- Take your normal daily hours from your contract.
- Subtract two hours. That is the Ramadan day.
- Multiply by the days you work each week for the weekly total.
- Count the working days between the first and last day of Ramadan, leaving out your days off.
- Multiply the Ramadan day by those working days for the total hours across the month.
Ramadan working hours worked examples
These use the expected start of Monday 8 February 2027. They are our arithmetic and do not remove public holidays.
| Pattern | Ramadan day | Working days | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-hour day, Saturday and Sunday off, 30-day month | 6 hours | 22 | 132 hours |
| 8-hour day, Friday and Saturday off, 29-day month | 6 hours | 21 | 126 hours |
| 9-hour day, Saturday and Sunday off, 30-day month | 7 hours | 22 | 154 hours |
| 8-hour day, Sunday only off, 30-day month | 6 hours | 26 | 156 hours |
| 6-hour day, Saturday and Sunday off, 29-day month | 4 hours | 21 | 84 hours |
What counts as overtime in Ramadan
We found no official statement on whether work beyond the reduced hours is paid as overtime, and at what rate. If your employer asks for more than the reduced day, see our UAE overtime calculator for the Article 19 rates, and ask the employer in writing how they treat the extra time.
Assumptions this calculator makes
- Two hours off every day. We apply the cut to each working day. Flexible or remote working within the reduced hours is allowed, per the 2026 release.
- Predicted dates. 8 February 2027 comes from Gulf News and The National forecasts. The moon-sighting committee decides.
- Public holidays are not removed. Eid Al Fitr falls after the month, but any other holiday inside the period would reduce the working days.
- Private sector only. We did not find federal government hours for Ramadan 2027.
- Lunch breaks. Break rules differ by employer, so the tool counts working hours only.
When your employer does not cut your hours
The two-hour cut is easy to calculate and sometimes hard to get. The most common question in the UAE subreddits is who it applies to.
“My company is based in a free zone and so far has only allowed Muslim employees to leave early during Ramadan.”r/UAE, February 2026 (43 upvotes). A single account, not an official source.
“If you’re working in the mainland UAE, all employees, regardless of religion, are legally entitled to reduced working hours during Ramadan.”r/UAE, February 2026 (53 upvotes). A single account, not an official source.
The official side supports the second reply for the mainland. Article 3 applies the decree-law to all private-sector establishments and workers. Article 17(4) leaves the Ramadan hours to the Implementing Regulation, which we did not read. The u.ae portal says the cut applies to Muslim and non-Muslim employees alike, and Article 4(1) bars discrimination on religion in employment.
Which rule applies to you
| Where you work | What we found | How sure we are |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland private sector | Two hours off the working day for every employee, with no cut in regular wages | Official: u.ae portal and the 2026 ministry release |
| Free zones | Some follow the federal rules, but a zone’s own regulations can differ, so check your contract and the zone authority | Not confirmed on an official page |
| DIFC and ADGM | Law-firm commentaries say each has its own employment law, with a reduction that covers Muslim employees only | Secondary sources from 2022 onwards. We did not read the statutes |
| Government employees | Outside the decree-law under Article 3(2), so federal or local HR rules apply | Official: Article 3 |
| Domestic workers | Also outside the decree-law | Official: Article 3 |
- Find out which authority your contract is registered with: MOHRE (mainland) or a free-zone authority.
- Read the company’s Ramadan circular and your contract for the hours and the notice.
- If you are on the mainland and the cut is not applied, ask HR in writing, citing the portal’s wording.
- Mainland disputes go to MOHRE (see our MOHRE complaint guide). Free-zone staff use their free-zone authority.
- If you are asked to work beyond the reduced day, ask whether it is treated as overtime. We found no official ruling, so get the policy in writing.
Ramadan working hours questions
Are working hours shorter in Ramadan in the UAE?
Yes. Per the u.ae portal, private-sector hours drop by two hours a day, without deducting regular wages.
Does the cut apply to non-Muslims?
Yes. The portal says it applies to Muslim and non-Muslim employees alike.
When does Ramadan 2027 start in the UAE?
Monday 8 February 2027 is the projected first day, subject to the moon-sighting committee.
Is my salary reduced in Ramadan?
No. The portal says regular wages are not deducted.
Is overtime paid for work beyond the reduced hours?
We found no official answer on that point.
Sources and what we could not confirm
The rule comes from the UAE government’s Ramadan page, updated on 28 September 2026, and the 2026 ministry release as carried by Sharjah24. The expected dates are from our Ramadan 2027 guide.
- A 2027 notice on private-sector hours is unconfirmed.
- Federal government hours for Ramadan 2027 are unconfirmed.
- Whether work beyond the reduced hours is paid as overtime is unconfirmed.