Saudi Arabia Working Days and Weekend Explained
Saudi Arabia's official work week runs Sunday to Thursday, and the weekend is Friday and Saturday. The Kingdom moved to this pattern in 2013, replacing the older Thursday-Friday weekend, and the change has been stable since. This applies to government, private sector, banks, and schools alike. Here is how the work week shapes payroll, project schedules, and public-holiday counts in practice.
The Sunday-to-Thursday work week
Saudi Arabia uses a five-day work week from Sunday through Thursday. Sunday is the first working day and Thursday is the last. Friday is the first day of the weekend, religiously significant as the day of Jummah congregational prayer, and Saturday is the second weekend day. This pattern is standard across all sectors: government ministries, private companies, financial services, schools, and most retail. A small number of consumer-facing businesses (malls, restaurants, some clinics) open on weekends, but their staff still follow the Sunday-Thursday rota with weekend rosters.
Friday and Saturday weekend
The Friday-Saturday weekend is now standard across the GCC. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman all observe the same weekend, which simplifies cross-border GCC business: meetings, banking cut-offs, and inter-company billing cycles all line up on a synchronised five-day schedule. Kuwait is the closest variant, also Friday-Saturday. Outside the GCC, regional partners in Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq use different weekends, which is the main scheduling friction point in MENA-wide business.
Working hours under Royal Decree M/51
Saudi Labour Law (Royal Decree M/51 of 2005) sets a maximum of 48 hours per week with no more than 8 hours per day for adult workers. Article 98 reduces the daily limit to 6 hours during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslim employees, though most employers extend the reduction to all staff for operational simplicity. Saudi government working hours are typically 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM, totalling about 35 hours per week, with private-sector hours varying around an 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM frame.
Public holidays and the working-day count
Saudi Arabia observes around 10 to 12 public holidays per year, which together with weekends bring the typical working day count to roughly 250 days in a standard year. The two fixed-date holidays are Saudi National Day (23 September) and Saudi Founding Day (22 February). The major Islamic holidays - Eid Al Fitr (typically 5 days) and Eid Al Adha (typically 5 days) - move each year because they follow the Hijri lunar calendar; in 2026, Eid Al Fitr falls in late March and Eid Al Adha falls in late May or early June. Saudi Arabia observes fewer commemorative holidays than most GCC neighbours. Banks observe additional half-days at the start and end of these holidays, which compresses business activity.
Practical implications for HR, payroll, and project planning
For monthly payroll, the standard 30-day calendar month is used as the basic-salary divisor regardless of the actual working day count. Daily wage calculations use basic salary divided by 30. For statutory benefits like sick leave, annual leave, and end-of-service gratuity, the day count matters because partial periods are paid proportionally (see also our related explainer). For project schedules, building in a buffer of 1.5x to 2x the calendar duration is conservative because Saudi Arabia's working calendar removes 104 weekend days plus around 10 to 12 holidays, plus extended Eid breaks where many businesses close for an extra day or two.
Quick reference
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Work week | Sunday to Thursday |
| Weekend | Friday and Saturday |
| Daily hours (standard) | 8 hours (Article 98) |
| Daily hours (Ramadan) | 6 hours (Article 98) |
| Weekly hours max | 48 hours |
| Annual public holidays | ~10 to 12 (mix of fixed and Hijri) |
| Typical working days/year | ~250 |
Common questions
Does Saudi Arabia work on Friday?
No. Friday is the first day of the weekend in Saudi Arabia for both public and private sectors. Friday is also the main day for Jummah congregational prayer.
What are the official Saudi Arabia weekend days?
Friday and Saturday. The work week runs Sunday to Thursday.
Are working hours different during Ramadan?
Yes. Saudi Labour Law (Royal Decree M/51 of 2005) reduces the working day to 6 hours during Ramadan for Muslim employees. Many employers extend the reduction to all staff voluntarily.
How many working days does Saudi Arabia have in a typical year?
Approximately 250 working days, after subtracting 104 weekend days (52 Fridays plus 52 Saturdays) and around 10 to 12 public holidays from 365.
Do private companies follow the same weekend as government?
Almost universally yes. Private sector aligns with the Sunday-Thursday work week to enable cross-sector business. A small number of retail and hospitality operations open on Friday or Saturday.
Calculate your own working days
Use the Saudi Arabia Working Days Calculator to count working days between any two dates. It auto-excludes Friday-Saturday weekends and lets you mark public holidays.
Source
For the official text of Saudi Labour Law (Royal Decree M/51 of 2005) and current public-holiday announcements: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) and ZATCA for employer compliance. We update this page when published rules change. For high-stakes scheduling decisions, verify against the official source.