Working hours in Saudi Arabia
Offices in Saudi Arabia typically run 08:00–17:00 local time, Sunday to Thursday, resting Friday and Saturday. That is about 45 hours a week across 5 working days. The working week runs Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are the weekend.
The week in Saudi Arabia
- Sun 08:00–17:00
- Mon 08:00–17:00
- Tue 08:00–17:00
- Wed 08:00–17:00
- Thu 08:00–17:00
- Fri off
- Sat off
When can you reach Saudi Arabia?
We use the time zone your browser reports. Change it if that is not where you work — the hours below are yours, not UTC.
Working with Saudi Arabia
Hours you share with Saudi Arabia, computed from each country's own working day rather than a blanket nine-to-five.
- 8.5hIndia10:30–19:00 there · 08:00–16:30 hereIndia works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.
- 8hGermany08:00–16:00 there · 09:00–17:00 hereGermany works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.The difference moves +1 h on 25 October.
- 6hthe United Kingdom09:00–15:00 there · 11:00–17:00 herethe United Kingdom works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.The difference moves +1 h on 25 October.
- 5hChina13:00–18:00 there · 08:00–13:00 hereChina works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.
- 4hJapan14:00–18:00 there · 08:00–12:00 hereJapan works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.
- 1hthe United States09:00–10:00 there · 16:00–17:00 herethe United States works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.The difference moves +1 h on 1 November.
- 1hAustralia16:00–17:00 there · 08:00–09:00 hereAustralia works Friday; Saudi Arabia does not.The difference moves +1 h on 3 April.
What this changes when you schedule
The weekend is not Saturday and Sunday. Saudi Arabia rests Friday and Saturday and works Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Nearly every calendar tool assumes otherwise, so an invite that looks perfectly reasonable on your screen lands on a day off on theirs.
The day also runs earlier than the nine-to-five most tools assume: 08:00–17:00 rather than 09:00–17:00.
A national convention for offices. Individual employers, shift work and retail vary.
Sources and last check
Times, offsets and sun positions on this page are computed live from the IANA timezone database and the NOAA solar algorithm, so they do not depend on the review dates below.
- Working hours and weekend days for 55 countries
- Source: Published national labour conventions and government working-hours guidance. Last checked, reviewed every 12 months.
Not covered:A national convention, not any given employer. Countries not listed fall back to a nine-to-five, Monday to Friday default, and pages say so rather than implying we checked.
FAQ
What are normal working hours in Saudi Arabia?
08:00–17:00 local time is the usual office day, about 9 hours. The working week runs Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are the weekend.
What days is the working week in Saudi Arabia?
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. The rest days are Friday and Saturday. That differs from the Saturday-and-Sunday weekend most scheduling tools assume, so a meeting invite that looks harmless can land on a day off.
Is Saturday a working day in Saudi Arabia?
No. Saturday is a rest day in Saudi Arabia.
Is Sunday a working day in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Sunday is a normal working day in Saudi Arabia, 08:00–17:00 local time.
Is Friday a working day in Saudi Arabia?
No. Friday is a rest day in Saudi Arabia.