Saudi Labor Law Basics for Expats: Hours, Leave, Overtime and Notice

Most private-sector expats are covered by the Saudi Labor Law, and your contract is registered on Qiwa. The core rules: 8 working hours a day or 48 a week, shorter in Ramadan for Muslims, a paid rest day (Friday by default), overtime pay, at least 21 days of annual leave, and sick leave paid in bands. The law was amended with effect from 19 February 2025, and a few of the rules below changed.

This guide covers the basics for private-sector employees. Domestic workers, government staff and some other groups are governed by other rules.

Working hours

• Standard: no more than 8 actual working hours a day, or 48 a week (HRSD, Article 98).
• Ramadan: for Muslims, actual hours drop to 6 a day or 36 a week. See the Ramadan guide.
• Exceptions: Article 99 allows up to 9 hours a day for some categories of workers or where work is not continuous, and as low as 7 for some categories and hazardous industries, set by ministerial decision. Under Article 100, rotating-shift establishments can use 8 hours a day and 40 a week with Ministry approval, as long as the average stays within 8 a day or 48 a week over three weeks or less.

Weekly rest

You are entitled to a paid weekly rest day of at least 24 consecutive hours. Friday is the default, and an employer can move it to another day for some workers after notifying the labor office. It cannot be replaced with cash (HRSD).

Overtime

• Rate: the hourly wage plus 50% of the basic wage for each overtime hour (Article 107).
• Compensatory leave: since the 2025 amendments, with your consent the employer may give paid days off instead of overtime pay.
• Public holidays: all hours worked on public holidays count as overtime.
• Limit: HRSD says additional hours may not exceed 720 a year, which can be exceeded with your consent (Executive Regulations, Article 22).

Work out what you are owed with the overtime calculator.

Annual leave

• 21 days a year, rising to at least 30 days after five consecutive years with the same employer (Article 109).
• Paid in advance, taken in the year it is due. You cannot waive it or take cash instead of leave while you are employed.
• Scheduling: the employer sets the dates, with at least 30 days' notice.
• Postponing: you may postpone with the employer's approval, and the employer may postpone up to 90 days after the year ends for work reasons (Article 110).
• When you leave: you are paid for accrued unused days, and for leave pay in proportion to the part of the year you worked (Article 111).

Use the annual leave calculator for your balance.

Sick leave

In a single year, with the illness proven (HRSD):

• First 30 days: full pay.
• Next 60 days: three quarters of your wage.
• Following 30 days: unpaid.

An employer cannot end your service because of illness before you have used the entitlement. Rest days that fall in sick leave are not compensated, while public-holiday days that fall in sick leave are paid at full wages. Work injuries have a separate scheme: full wage for 60 days, then 75% for the rest of the recovery period.

Public holidays and special leave

• Eid al-Fitr: a 4-day holiday starting the day after 29 Ramadan.
• Eid al-Adha: a 4-day holiday starting on Arafat Day.
• National Day: the holiday is set by the Umm Al-Qura calendar. If it falls on a weekend, you get the day before or after.

Annual leave is extended by any public-holiday days that fall inside it (HRSD). HRSD's holiday page does not mention Founding Day, so check your employer's published holiday list for it.

Paid special leave (Article 113): 5 days for marriage or the death of a spouse, parent or child; 3 days for the death of a sibling; and 3 days for the newborn's guardian, taken within 7 days of the birth. Maternity leave is 12 weeks on full pay, of which 6 weeks follow the delivery.

Contract types

• Fixed-term: has an end date. It ends when the term expires unless renewed (Article 74). Since the 2025 amendments, an employee on a fixed-term contract resigns under the new Article 79 bis process: write to the employer, who has 30 days to respond, can defer acceptance by up to 60 days with written reasons, and you can withdraw within 7 days unless it has already been accepted (Clyde & Co).
• Open-ended (indefinite): continues until either side gives notice, as below.

Contracts are recorded in Qiwa, and Qiwa's template contract terms generally prevail over what is in an email or offer letter (per BCLP). Read the Qiwa version.

Probation

• Must be written in the contract. HRSD's explainer says it cannot exceed 90 days, extendable to 180 days in total by written agreement.
• Law firms King & Spalding, BCLP and Qoyod report that since February 2025 the contract can set up to 180 days from the start.
• Eid holidays and sick leave do not count towards it.
• Either side can end the contract during probation without notice, unless the contract gives that right to one side only. Neither side owes compensation, and the worker gets no end-of-service award.
• You can be put on probation with the same employer only once, unless the new job is different or six months or more have passed since the last one.

Notice

For open-ended contracts, Article 75 sets the notice period:

• Monthly-paid: the employer gives at least 60 days. Law firms King & Spalding, Qoyod and BCLP report that since 19 February 2025 the employee gives at least 30 days (it was 60 days for both sides before).
• Paid other than monthly: 30 days for both.
• If notice is skipped: the party ending the contract owes the other the worker's pay for the notice period (Article 76).

Check the notice written in your Qiwa contract and use the notice period calculator. If you are moving jobs, see how to change jobs.

Leaving: money you are owed

Your end-of-service award, accrued leave and final pay: see the end-of-service benefits guide. If you are leaving the country, read the final exit visa guide.

Where to get help

HRSD's contact centre is 19911 (info@hrsd.gov.sa). For the exact text of any article, use HRSD's Executive Regulations published on 19 February 2025 alongside the amended Labor Law. The Arabic text is the legally binding one.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked on 22 October 2026 against these pages. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay or apply.

• HRSD: Actually working hours (Articles 98-100, overtime, special leave, maternity)
• HRSD: Overtime Hours
• HRSD: Annual Leave
• HRSD: Sick Leave
• HRSD: Probation Period
• HRSD: Holidays and Leaves
• HRSD: Weekly rest and annual leave (Articles 104-111)
• HRSD: End-of-Service Award Regulations
• HRSD: Executive Regulations and Attachments of the Labor Law take effect (19 February 2025)
• Labor Law, English translation (Articles 74-78, 88; 2005 text, predates 2025 amendments)
• King & Spalding: Amendments to the Saudi Labor Law approved
• Qoyod: Labor law 2025 amendments
• Clyde & Co: KSA Labour Law amendments, Part 1, resignations (25 March 2025)
• BCLP: Saudi Arabia's evolving labor landscape (2 July 2026)