Countries › Paraguay › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Working hours, overtime and rest in Paraguay: the 48 hour week, night and holiday premiums and weekly rest

Working hours, overtime and rest in Paraguay: the 48 hour week, night and holiday premiums and weekly rest

Last verified: 2026-10-28 · Status: Stable

Ordinary hours are capped at 8 a day and 48 a week for day work, 7 and 42 for night work and 7.5 and 45 for mixed shifts, with a 6 hour day for unhealthy work paid as a full day. Overtime is limited to 3 hours a day and 57 hours a week in total and costs at least 50 percent extra by day and 100 percent at night or on holidays, while ordinary night work carries a 30 percent premium. Workers get 10 hours' rest between shifts, a weekly rest day that is normally Sunday and paid holidays, and managers, field agents and watchmen are outside the hour limits but still capped at 12 hours a day.

USD figures use PYG 5,868.31 per US dollar, the Banco Central del Paraguay reference quotation in the planilla for Wednesday 28 October 2026. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Maximum ordinary weekly hours, day work	48 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 194 (Ley 496/1995), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum ordinary daily hours, day work	8 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 194 (Ley 496/1995), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum ordinary weekly hours, night work	42 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 194 (Ley 496/1995), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum weekly hours, mixed shift	45 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 196 (Ley 496/1995), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum daily hours, unhealthy or rotating shift work (paid as 8)	6 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 198 (Ley 496/1995), as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum overtime per day	3 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 201, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Maximum total weekly hours including overtime	57 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 201, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Minimum overtime premium, day hours	50 %Código del Trabajo art. 234, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Night work premium over day rate	30 %Código del Trabajo art. 234, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Night overtime premium over night hourly rate	100 %Código del Trabajo art. 234, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Premium for hours worked on public holidays	100 %Código del Trabajo art. 234, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Minimum uninterrupted rest between working days	10 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 212, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Daily cap for staff excluded from hour limits	12 hoursCódigo del Trabajo art. 205, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. Ordinary hours. Effective ordinary work cannot exceed 8 hours a day or 48 a week for day work and 7 hours a day or 42 a week for night work; day work runs from 6:00 to 20:00 and night work from 20:00 to 6:00. A mixed shift covering both periods is capped at 7.5 hours a day and 45 a week and is paid according to the hours falling in each period. Work in unhealthy, dangerous or arduous conditions or in continuous or rotating shifts is capped at 6 hours a day and 36 a week but paid as a normal 8 hour day. Hours count from the moment the worker must be present at the premises. Each day must be split with a break of at least half an hour, which is not working time. By agreement the 48 weekly hours may be spread over longer days so that weekly rest starts at Saturday noon, without this counting as overtime.
Cost to do it: No direct cost; unhealthy work costs a full day's pay for 6 hours.
Example: A shift worker in a cold store classified as unhealthy works 6 hours and is paid as for 8. / Same: a 25 percent shorter day at the same pay.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, as amended by Ley Nº 496/1995, Art. 194, 196 and 198 (as amended by Ley 496/1995 art. 1), 195, 199, 200 and 215, 1995-08-22 official text · verified 2026-10-28

2. Overtime limits and premiums. Hours beyond the ordinary day are overtime and may not exceed 3 hours a day or a total of 57 hours a week, except where the Code allows (force majeure, accidents or grave danger). Workers are only obliged to work overtime for accidents or imminent risks, urgent repairs, temporary urgent work or extraordinary demand, and exceptional needs of the economy or the company. Overtime is paid at least 50 percent above the ordinary rate; night work is paid 30 percent above the day rate; night overtime is paid 100 percent above the night hourly rate; and hours worked on public holidays are paid 100 percent above the ordinary hourly rate. Workers under eighteen cannot work overtime. Employers must post the start and end times and breaks of each shift and record overtime and its pay in the wage book.
Cost to do it: Overtime premium of at least 50 percent by day and 100 percent at night or on holidays.
Example: On a salary of PYG 6,000,000 the ordinary hourly rate is PYG 25,000 (monthly salary / 30 / 8, the method of Res. MTESS 670/2026); one day overtime hour costs PYG 37,500 and one holiday hour PYG 50,000. / About US$4 an hour ordinary, US$6 per day overtime hour and US$9 per holiday hour.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, as amended by Ley Nº 496/1995, Art. 201, 202, 203, 206 and 234; art. 204 as amended by Ley 496/1995 art. 1, 1993-06-29 official text · verified 2026-10-28

3. Workers outside the hour limits. Managers, heads and administrators in a dependent relationship and staff not subject to immediate supervision, night watchmen and others whose work is discontinuous or needs only their presence, and agents and commission earners working outside the premises are excluded from the daily hour limits; domestic and rural work were added by Ley 496/1995. They still cannot be required to work more than 12 hours a day, are entitled to a rest of at least one and a half hours within the day, and hours above eight are paid without premium.
Cost to do it: Hours above 8 paid at the plain rate, without the overtime premium.
Example: A sales agent on the road who works 10 hours is paid the extra 2 hours at the ordinary rate. / Same: no 50 percent premium for excluded staff.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, as amended by Ley Nº 496/1995, Art. 205 (letters c and d as amended by Ley 496/1995 art. 1), 1995-08-22 official text · verified 2026-10-28

4. Rural work. In farming, ranching, forestry and dairy work the maximum is 8 hours a day or 48 a week for normal permanent tasks, extendable in emergencies. During rains, sowing, harvest, shearing, branding and similar seasonal operations, hours above the limit are paid without the premium unless weekly hours exceed 60, from which the 50 percent overtime premium applies. No rural worker can be required to work more than 12 hours a day, with a minimum rest of an hour and a half.
Cost to do it: 50 percent premium only above 60 weekly hours in seasonal peaks.
Example: A harvest worker doing 58 hours in a week is paid the 10 hours over 48 at the plain rate. / Same: premium starts only after hour 60.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, as amended by Ley Nº 496/1995, Art. 181, 182 and 182 bis (as amended by Ley 496/1995 art. 1), 1995-08-22 official text · verified 2026-10-28

5. Rest periods and holidays. After the daily work ends, workers get at least 10 uninterrupted hours of rest. Every worker has one weekly rest day, normally Sunday; exceptionally a full 24 hours of rest on another day in the following week may replace it for work that cannot be interrupted, essential repairs and cleaning, or urgent work, and employers must post a roster of the workers affected and their compensatory rest. Public holidays set by law are also compulsory rest days. Night work is authorized by the labor authority for essential public services, continuous processes, repairs, imminent damage or work that is nocturnal by nature, and night workers cannot also be employed on the day shift.
Cost to do it: Compensatory rest day for Sunday work; holiday hours at a 100 percent premium.
Example: Working a full 8 hour public holiday on a PYG 6,000,000 salary costs PYG 400,000 for the day. / About US$68 for the holiday.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, Art. 208, 209, 212, 213, 214 and 217, 1993-06-29 official text · verified 2026-10-28

6. Fines for hour and rest breaches. Employers that make workers exceed the ordinary or overtime limits are fined 10 minimum daily wages per worker, doubled for repeat offences, in addition to paying the overtime due. Failing to grant compulsory rest or vacation days costs a fine of 10 minimum daily wages per worker, doubled on repetition. A minimum daily wage (jornal) for fines is the one for unspecified activities in the capital, PYG 117,077 from 1 July 2026.
Cost to do it: 10 jornales, PYG 1,170,770 (US$200), per worker affected; double on repetition.
Example: Excess hours imposed on 12 workers: fine of PYG 14,049,240. / About US$2,394.Ley Nº 213/1993 Código del Trabajo, as amended by Ley Nº 496/1995, Art. 386 (as amended by Ley 496/1995 art. 1), 384 and 387; Res. MTESS 670/2026 art. 1, 1995-08-22 official text · verified 2026-10-28

Shift	Daily cap	Weekly cap	Premium	Minimum hourly rate from 1 July 2026
Day (6:00 to 20:00)	8 hours	48 hours	None	PYG 12,683 (monthly paid)
Night (20:00 to 6:00)	7 hours	42 hours	30 percent over day rate	PYG 18,844 (monthly paid)
Mixed	7.5 hours	45 hours	Pro rata by period	Formula in Res. MTESS 670/2026 art. 4
Unhealthy, rotating or continuous	6 hours	36 hours	Paid as 8 hours	Same as day or night
Overtime, day	3 hours a day	57 hours total	At least 50 percent	PYG 19,025 on the minimum
Overtime, night	3 hours a day	57 hours total	100 percent over night rate	PYG 37,688 on the minimum
Public holiday			100 percent	PYG 25,366 on the minimum

Hour limits and premiums (Código del Trabajo art. 194 to 205 and 234, with Ley 496/1995 amendments; minimum hourly rates from Res. MTESS 670/2026 art. 1; read on 28 October 2026)

Worked example

A logistics S.A. pays a warehouse supervisor PYG 6,000,000 a month (US$1,022) for a 48 hour day shift week. The ordinary hourly rate is PYG 25,000.
In a peak week the supervisor works 54 hours (6 overtime hours on day shift, within the 3 hours a day and 57 hours a week caps): overtime pay is 6 x PYG 37,500 = PYG 225,000 (US$38) (Código del Trabajo art. 201 and 234).
The supervisor also works 8 hours on a public holiday: PYG 400,000 (US$68) at the 100 percent premium.
All overtime is recorded in the wage book and shown on the pay slip; if the company forced hours beyond the caps, MTESS could fine it 10 minimum daily wages per worker (art. 206, 235 and 386).

Step by step

Set shift times and breaks in the contract and post them in the workplace (art. 46 e and 206).
Classify each role: day, night, mixed, unhealthy, or excluded from hour limits (art. 194 to 198 and 205).
Seek labor authority authorization for night work where required and keep night staff off the day shift (art. 208 and 209).
Record overtime and pay it with the premium in the same pay period; never exceed 3 hours a day or 57 hours a week (art. 201, 206 and 234).
Roster Sunday and holiday work with compensatory rest and post the roster (art. 213 and 214).

Common traps

Night work is paid 30 percent more than day work and night overtime 100 percent over the night rate, so night overtime costs about 2.6 times the day hourly rate.
Unhealthy work classification cuts the day to 6 hours without cutting pay; MTESS occupational safety may classify an activity on request (art. 198).
Excluded managers are still capped at 12 hours a day; the exclusion only removes the overtime premium (art. 205).
Overtime is voluntary outside the listed emergencies and temporary peaks; routine overtime as a staffing model is a compliance risk (art. 202).
Ley 496/1995 rewrote art. 194, 196 and 198; the DNIT copy of the Code shows the 1993 wording.

Sources

← Employment contracts in Paraguay: who is an employee, written form, fixed term limits, probation and void clausesMinimum wage in Paraguay: PYG 3,044,000 from 1 July 2026, how it is set and the sector minimums →

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