Many oil, gas and energy jobs in the Gulf are “rotation” jobs. You work at a rig, platform, plant or desert site for a fixed number of days. Then you go home for a fixed number of days. Job ads write this as two numbers, such as 28/28 or 14/14.
This guide explains what the numbers mean, how hours, pay, leave and travel usually work, and what the labour laws of the Gulf countries say. Every employer and contract is different. Read your own contract carefully, and check the official pages we link to, because rules change.
What the numbers mean
The first number is the days you spend at work. The second number is the days you spend off. Some common patterns:
| Rotation | Days at work | Days off | Share of the year at work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28/28 | 28 | 28 | about half |
| 14/14 | 14 | 14 | about half |
| 21/21 | 21 | 21 | about half |
| 21/7 | 21 | 7 | about three quarters |
| 28/14 | 28 | 14 | about two thirds |
| 5/2 | 5 | 2 | a normal working week |
The last column is simple arithmetic: days at work divided by the total days of one cycle. It does not include travel days, training or overtime.
“Equal time” rotations (28/28, 14/14) give you the same time off as time at work. “Unequal” rotations (21/7, 28/14) mean more time at work. A job with a normal working week in a city, for example in an office or a fabrication yard, is sometimes called a “resident” or “non-rotational” job. The words are not legal terms, so ask the employer what they mean in your offer.
Offshore and onshore rotations
Offshore means a platform, a drilling rig, a barge or a vessel at sea. You usually live on board during your hitch. Getting there may mean a crew boat or a helicopter. That is why offshore employers often ask for safety training such as BOSIET or HUET. OPITO, the body behind these standards, says this training is required for offshore personnel who travel to installations by helicopter (OPITO). Our guide to offshore safety certificates explains them.
Onshore means a land site, such as an oil field, gas plant, refinery, power plant or construction site. Remote desert fields often have camp accommodation, and rotation patterns are used there too. Sites near cities may use a normal weekly schedule, with transport from your accommodation.
What the law says about hours
Before you compare offers, it helps to know the legal limits. Each Gulf country has its own labour law, and the rules below are the general ones. Some sectors and job categories have exceptions, so ask your employer which rules apply to your role.
UAE
- Normal working hours are at most 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week (u.ae).
- Overtime may not be more than 2 hours a day, and total working hours may not be more than 144 hours every 3 weeks. Overtime is paid at the normal rate (based on basic wage) plus at least 25%, or at least 50% between 10 pm and 4 am, except for shift workers (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 19).
- The Cabinet can raise or lower daily hours for some sectors or categories of workers (Article 17). Time spent travelling between home and work does not count as working time, except for some categories (Article 17).
- Outdoor work under direct sun is not allowed between 12:30 pm and 3 pm from 15 June to 15 September (u.ae).
Saudi Arabia
- Overtime is paid at the hourly wage plus 50% of the basic wage (Article 107 of the Labor Law).
- Article 105 matters for rotation work. In remote areas, and in jobs where work must run continuously, weekly rest days can be added together for up to eight weeks. The employer and workers must agree, and the Ministry must approve. The rest period starts when workers arrive at the nearest city with transport, and ends when they return to it.
- Each summer the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development bans outdoor work under direct sun at midday. In 2025 the ban ran from 12 noon to 3 pm, from 15 June to 15 September (HRSD).
Qatar
The ILO’s summary of Qatari law says normal hours are 8 a day or 48 a week, actual daily hours may not be more than 10 (2 hours of overtime), and some categories of workers are excluded from these limits (ILO).
Oman
The English translation of Oman’s 2023 Labour Law says a worker may not work more than 8 actual hours a day and 40 a week (Article 70 of Royal Decree 53/2023).
How pay usually works on rotation
There are two common models. Your offer should say which one you have.
- Monthly salary, all year. You get the same salary every month, on and off rotation. Days off are part of the deal.
- Day rate. You are paid only for the days you work, and sometimes for travel days. Off days are unpaid. This is common for contractors and short projects.
Ask how overtime, night work, standby days and travel days are paid. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, overtime is calculated from the basic wage, so a low basic wage with large allowances means lower overtime pay. Our salaries and benefits guide explains basic wage and allowances.
Leave: do days off count as annual leave?
Every Gulf country gives a minimum paid annual leave:
- UAE: 30 days a year after one year of service (u.ae).
- Saudi Arabia: at least 21 days, rising to at least 30 days after five years with the same employer (Article 109 of the Labor Law).
- Qatar: at least 3 weeks, or 4 weeks after five years (ILO).
- Oman: at least 30 days (Article 78 of Royal Decree 53/2023).
On a rotation, your days off are often longer than this minimum. Some contracts say the off days include your annual leave. Others give annual leave on top. The law does not answer this for you, so the contract must. Ask before you sign.
Travel to and from the site
Ask who books and pays for your flights at the start and end of each rotation, and from which city (“point of origin”). Ask whether travel days are paid.
The law covers some travel costs at the end of your job:
- UAE: the employer pays your repatriation costs to the place you were recruited from, unless you already joined another employer or the contract ended because of you (Article 13 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021).
- Saudi Arabia: the employer pays the fees for exit and re-entry visas and the return ticket home at the end of the job (Article 40 of the Labor Law).
In Saudi Arabia you need an exit and re-entry visa to leave and come back during your contract. Since 14 March 2021, expatriate workers can request it without the employer’s approval, and the employer is notified electronically (HRSD). In practice, rotation workers usually arrange this with their employer.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the rotation, and can it change? Who decides?
- How long is a shift, and how is overtime paid?
- Is pay monthly all year, or a day rate?
- Do off days include annual leave, or is leave extra?
- Who pays flights for each rotation, and from which city?
- Are travel days and training days paid?
- Where will I live at the site, and are meals included?
- Which certificates do I need before my first hitch, and who pays for them?
Get the answers in writing, in your offer or contract.
Frequently asked questions
What does 28/28 mean in an oil and gas job?
It means 28 days at the work site, followed by 28 days off. Over a year, that is about half the time at work, not counting travel or training days. Your contract decides whether you are paid during the 28 days off and whether those days count as annual leave.
Do I get annual leave on top of my rotation days off?
It depends on your contract. The law sets a minimum, such as 30 days a year in the UAE and 21 days in Saudi Arabia (30 after five years). Some contracts count rotation days off as leave, others do not. Ask the employer before you sign.
Who pays for my flights on rotation?
Your contract decides who pays for flights for each rotation. At the end of your job, UAE law says the employer pays repatriation costs in most cases, and Saudi law says the employer pays the return ticket home.