Work across time zones
Working with the Gulf: time zones, weekends and Ramadan hours
The Gulf is only a few hours from India and Europe, so the clock is rarely the problem. The calendar is. Weekends fall on different days, working hours shrink during Ramadan, and the UAE changed its working week in 2022. This guide covers all six Gulf states.
Key takeaways
- The UAE and Oman are on UTC+4; Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain on UTC+3. None of them change their clocks.
- The UAE weekend is Saturday–Sunday since 2022. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman rest on Friday and Saturday, so their week runs Sunday to Thursday.
- With a Sunday–Thursday country, a Monday–Friday team shares only four working days.
- During Ramadan, working hours are shorter: two hours less a day in the UAE private sector, and at most six hours a day for Muslim workers in Saudi Arabia. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February.
On this page
The Gulf right now
Live time in each capital, and whether it is a working day there:
- DubaiUAE · UTC+4
- RiyadhSaudi Arabia · UTC+3
- DohaQatar · UTC+3
- Kuwait CityKuwait · UTC+3
- ManamaBahrain · UTC+3
- MuscatOman · UTC+4
Time zones: simple, and fixed all year
There are only two time zones in the Gulf, and neither uses daylight saving time:
- Gulf Standard Time, UTC+4: United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) and Oman.
- Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
So the gap only changes when your clocks change:
| From | UAE and Oman (UTC+4) | Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain (UTC+3) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 1 h 30 min behind India | 2 h 30 min behind India |
| London (winter / summer) | 4 h / 3 h ahead | 3 h / 2 h ahead |
| New York (winter / summer) | 9 h / 8 h ahead | 8 h / 7 h ahead |
| Los Angeles (winter / summer) | 12 h / 11 h ahead | 11 h / 10 h ahead |
| Singapore | 4 h behind | 5 h behind |
Weekends: the part that catches people out
On 1 January 2022 the UAE moved its federal government to a four-and-a-half-day week: Monday to Thursday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and Friday 7:30 AM to 12:00 noon, with Saturday and Sunday as the weekend. Many private companies followed and now work Monday to Friday, though some keep other patterns.
The other five Gulf states kept a Friday–Saturday weekend, so their working week runs Sunday to Thursday.
| Country | Weekend | Working week |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | Saturday–Sunday (since 2022) | Monday–Friday (government: Friday half day) |
| Saudi Arabia | Friday–Saturday | Sunday–Thursday |
| Qatar | Friday–Saturday | Sunday–Thursday |
| Kuwait | Friday–Saturday | Sunday–Thursday |
| Bahrain | Friday–Saturday | Sunday–Thursday |
| Oman | Friday–Saturday | Sunday–Thursday |
In practice, if you work Monday to Friday and your client is in Riyadh or Doha:
- Monday to Thursday are shared working days.
- Friday you are working and they are not. Do not expect replies.
- Sunday they are working and you are not. Monday morning you may find a full inbox.
- Thursday afternoon is the end of their week, the equivalent of Friday afternoon elsewhere.
Around midday on Friday, the time of Friday prayers, is best avoided even in the UAE, where the government workday ends at noon on Fridays.
Ramadan working hours
During the month of Ramadan, working days are shorter across the region. Two examples from the law:
- UAE: the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation reduces private-sector working hours by two hours a day during Ramadan, for all employees regardless of religion. Companies may also use flexible or remote working within those hours.
- Saudi Arabia: the Labour Law limits the working hours of Muslim workers during Ramadan to six hours a day, or 36 a week.
Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so it starts about 11 days earlier each year. Astronomical calculations put the start of Ramadan 2027 around 8 February 2027, with Eid al-Fitr around 9 or 10 March; the exact dates depend on the sighting of the moon and are announced shortly before. Many offices are busiest in the morning during Ramadan, so book meetings earlier in the day and expect slower replies late in the afternoon. The Eid holidays that follow usually close offices for several days.
Best times to meet
From India. Dubai is 1 hour 30 minutes behind India and Riyadh 2 hours 30 minutes behind, so almost the whole working day overlaps. 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM India time is 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM in Dubai.
From the UK. The overlap is the UK morning: 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon in London is 12:00 to 4:00 PM in Dubai in winter, and 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM in summer. Avoid Friday afternoons for the Friday–Saturday countries, where it is already the weekend.
From the US East Coast. The overlap is short. 8:00 AM in New York is 5:00 PM in Dubai and 4:00 PM in Riyadh in winter, so the first hour of the US day is the only realistic slot, Monday to Thursday. In the US summer the gap is an hour smaller.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weekend in Dubai?
Saturday and Sunday. The UAE moved to a Saturday–Sunday weekend on 1 January 2022; federal government offices also finish at noon on Friday.
What is the weekend in Saudi Arabia?
Friday and Saturday. The working week runs from Sunday to Thursday. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman follow the same pattern.
Do Gulf countries change their clocks?
No. None of the six Gulf states use daylight saving time. The UAE and Oman are on UTC+4 all year; Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain on UTC+3.
Are working hours shorter during Ramadan?
Yes. In the UAE private-sector hours are reduced by two hours a day; in Saudi Arabia working hours for Muslim workers are limited to six hours a day during Ramadan.
Sources
- Saudi Press Agency – UAE announces four-and-a-half-day working week from 1 January 2022
- Al Jazeera – UAE announces 4.5-day workweek, Saturday–Sunday weekend
- The National – Which countries have a Friday–Saturday weekend?
- UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation – Reduction of private-sector working hours during Ramadan (2026)
- Embassy of India, Riyadh – Saudi Labour Law basic points
- The National – Ramadan 2027 and Eid al-Fitr: expected dates
Checked on 30 September 2026. Times on this page are worked out with the IANA time zone database; live clocks use your browser’s copy of it.