Official Reference
Egypt Labor Law at a Glance
The key numbers, rights, and obligations under Egypt's new Labor Law No. 14 of 2025 (in force since September 1, 2025), the complete quick reference for HR teams and companies operating in Egypt.
Legislation: Labor Law No. 14 of 2025Regulator: Ministry of LabourLast updated: 2026
21
days annual leave (from year 2)
35%
daytime overtime premium
13
official public holidays
| Item | Limit | Notes |
|---|
| Daily maximum | 8 hours | Excluding breaks |
| Weekly maximum | 48 hours | Many companies operate a 40-hour, 5-day week by agreement |
| Rest breaks | Minimum 1 hour total/day | No more than 5 continuous working hours |
| Weekly rest | Minimum 24 consecutive hours | Fully paid |
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Annual Leave Entitlement
| Length of Service | Annual Leave | Notes |
|---|
| First year | 15 days | After completing 6 months of service |
| From the second year | 21 days/year | Standard entitlement |
| 10+ years of service or age 50+ | 30 days/year | Enhanced entitlement |
| Employees with disabilities | 45 days/year | Regardless of service length |
| Casual leave | 6 days/year | Maximum 2 consecutive days per instance |
| Hajj (pilgrimage) leave | 1 month, full pay, once | After 5 years of continuous service |
| Stage | Duration | Pay |
|---|
| First stage | 3 months | Full pay (100%) |
| Second stage | 6 months | 85% of wage |
| Third stage | 3 months | 75% of wage |
Sickness must be certified by the competent medical authority. Compensation is paid through the social insurance system. The employer may not dismiss an employee during certified sick leave.
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Maternity, Paternity and Family Leave
| Type | Duration | Pay | Notes |
|---|
| Maternity leave | 4 months | Paid | No minimum service requirement, up to 3 times during employment |
| Paternity leave | 1 day | Paid | On the day of the child's birth, up to 3 times (new in the 2025 law) |
| Nursing breaks | 2 breaks of 30+ minutes daily | Paid | For 2 years after childbirth, may be combined |
| Childcare leave | Up to 2 years per child | Unpaid | Companies with 50+ employees, up to 3 times, after 1 year of service |
Dismissing an employee due to pregnancy or maternity leave is prohibited.
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Probation, Contracts and Notice Periods
| Item | Duration | Notes |
|---|
| Probation period | Maximum 3 months | Only once with the same employer |
| Notice period (indefinite contracts) | 3 months | Written notice required from either party |
| Resignation | Employer must respond within 10 days | Resignation must be ratified by the competent administrative authority |
| Early termination of fixed-term contract by employer | Compensation of 1 month's salary per year of service | End-of-service gratuity under the 2025 law |
| Situation | Rate | Notes |
|---|
| Daytime overtime | Hourly wage + 35% | Beyond normal working hours |
| Night overtime | Hourly wage + 70% | Work performed at night |
| Work on the weekly rest day | Double pay | Plus a compensatory rest day |
| Work on a public holiday | Wage for the day + double pay, or a compensatory day off | Compensatory day subject to written request |
| Holiday | Date |
|---|
| Coptic Christmas | January 7 |
| January 25 Revolution / Police Day | January 25 |
| Sinai Liberation Day | April 25 |
| Coptic Easter + Sham El Nessim | Dates follow the Coptic calendar |
| Labour Day | May 1 |
| Eid Al Fitr | Dates follow the Hijri calendar |
| Arafat Day + Eid Al Adha | Dates follow the Hijri calendar |
| June 30 Revolution | June 30 |
| Islamic New Year | 1 Muharram |
| July 23 Revolution | July 23 |
| Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | 12 Rabi Al Awwal |
| Armed Forces Day | October 6 |
13 official paid public holidays per year, set by the government. Islamic holiday dates are subject to moon sighting.
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Key Employee Protections
| Protection | Details |
|---|
| Social insurance | Mandatory registration with the National Organization for Social Insurance (NOSI) for all employees |
| Dismissal during pregnancy or maternity | Prohibited: an employee may not be dismissed due to pregnancy or maternity leave |
| Dismissal during sick leave | Prohibited during certified sick leave |
| Non-discrimination | Discrimination in wages or opportunity based on gender, origin, religion or disability is prohibited |
| Forced resignation | Resignations must be ratified by the administrative authority to be valid, protecting against pre-signed resignations |
| Labor courts | Specialized labor courts for faster dispute resolution (new in the 2025 law) |
| Minimum working age | 15 years, with special rules for juveniles |
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Source: Egypt Labor Law No. 14 of 2025, in force since September 1, 2025. Ministry of Labour. For reference only, not legal advice.
