Oman Working Days and Weekend Explained
Oman's official work week runs Sunday to Thursday, and the weekend is Friday and Saturday. The Sultanate harmonised with the wider GCC pattern in 2013, replacing the earlier Thursday-Friday weekend. Royal Decree 53/2023 reorganised Oman's Labour Law and reaffirmed this work-week structure. 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
Oman 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 53/2023
Oman Labour Law (Royal Decree 53/2023) sets a maximum of 45 hours per week with no more than 9 hours per day for adult workers. Article 21 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. Oman government working hours are typically 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM Sunday through Thursday, totalling 35 hours per week. Private-sector hours vary but cluster around 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, often split with a midday break.
Public holidays and the working-day count
Oman observes around 11 to 13 public holidays per year, which together with weekends bring the typical working day count to roughly 250 days in a standard year. The fixed-date holidays are Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Accession Day (11 January), Renaissance Day (23 July), and Oman National Day (18 November). The Islamic holidays - Eid Al Fitr (3-4 days), Eid Al Adha (3-4 days), the Islamic New Year, Prophet Muhammad birthday, and Lailat Al Miraj - move each year because they follow the Hijri lunar calendar. 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 project schedules, building in a buffer of 1.5x to 2x the calendar duration is conservative because Oman's working calendar removes 104 weekend days plus around 11 to 13 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) | 9 hours (Article 21) |
| Daily hours (Ramadan) | 6 hours (Article 21) |
| Weekly hours max | 45 hours |
| Annual public holidays | ~11 to 13 (mix of fixed and Hijri) |
| Typical working days/year | ~250 |
Common questions
Does Oman work on Friday?
No. Friday is the first day of the weekend in Oman for both public and private sectors. Friday is also the main day for Jummah congregational prayer.
What are the official Oman weekend days?
Friday and Saturday. The work week runs Sunday to Thursday.
Are working hours different during Ramadan?
Yes. Oman Labour Law (Royal Decree 53/2023) 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 Oman have in a typical year?
Approximately 250 working days, after subtracting 104 weekend days (52 Fridays plus 52 Saturdays) and around 11 to 13 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 Oman 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 Oman Labour Law (Royal Decree 53/2023) and current public-holiday announcements: Ministry of Labour (Wizarat al-Amal). We update this page when published rules change. For high-stakes scheduling decisions, verify against the official source.