It has been found that a majority of the expatriates working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is unaware about the leave (vacation) they are eligible to. As far as the vacations (holidays) are concerned, the Saudi Labor Law is very compassionate. Your employer or sponsor must provide the following leave (vacation) under the Saudi Labor Law.

Annual (Yearly) vacation

As per the Saudi Labor Law, you are permitted to have a minimum 21 days of paid yearly holiday (vacation). If the mentioned vacation is less than 21 days, you can request your company or employer to increase it to 21 days. Likewise, when you complete 5 consecutive years in an organization, then you are eligible to 30 days paid yearly (annual) leave. If your employer happens to breach these terms then he is going against the Saudi labor law (article 109.1 of the Saudi Labor Law). But please note that you cannot apply for a vacation subsequent to finishing 2 years of employment with the Kafeel or employer. However if your employer has no problem in this regard, then you are free to go at your convenient time. According to the Saudi Labor Law, each employee must take his due vacation within the year. The vacation or leave cannot be carried over to the next year and cannot be taken at a stretch (i.e., 21 days +21 days =42 days) on the next year. However everything depends on the employer’s decision. It is his discretion to grant you vacation or not to provide leave for the previous due years.

Sick leave

As an employee, if your sickness is confirmed, you will be permitted to take 4 months of sick leave from your company or employer. Your employer cannot remove you from the payroll nor terminate you from the company. During this 4 months of sick leave, a few will be fully paid, a few partially paid and a few unpaid. But you need to get a doctor or physician’s certificate stating that you require rest for a particular number of days. Or else it is up to your employer’s discretion, to agree to or not acknowledge your sick leave.

As an employee, you are permitted to link the yearly leave with the sick leave. Mentioned below is the quota on a yearly basis.

Fully paid for the first 30 days.

3/4th or 75% of your total wages

Unpaid for the next 30 days.

In the event of death

If a worker or an employee’s wife or any other blood relation happens to die, then he is permitted to have 3 fully paid leave. But in the case of a woman employee, if her husband or any other blood relations happen to die, then she is entitled to have 15 fully paid leave. The blood relation comprises of Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Daughter & Son. (As per article 160 of the Saudi Labor Law).

Hajj Holidays

As an employee, if you are planning to perform Hajj, then you are permitted to take 10 days of fully paid holiday as an alternative to 4 days of the Eid Ul Azha vacation. But as a worker, you can take these holidays only once in five years from your organization or employer.

Marriage leave

As an employee, you are eligible to take 3 days of paid leave for your marriage. However, it is only once during your employment term. If you want to take 15 days leave for your marriage, only 12 days must be subtracted from your yearly leave quota. Ensure that you have benefited this credit.

Maternity leave

As per the Saudi Labor Law’s article 151 to 156, a woman employee is permitted to have 10 weeks of maternity leave for her child delivery. 4 weeks will be provided prior to the delivery date and 6 weeks will be offered subsequent to the delivery date. The possible delivery date will be determined by the written statement of the physician. The employer or organization must not eliminate her from the payroll or terminate her from the company. If the woman employee desires, she is also eligible to link her yearly leave to her maternity leave. Subsequent to her maternity vacation, the employer or organization is required to offer her one additional hour of rest for her so as to nourish her baby.

But these holidays might or might not be fully paid. This choice is based on the number of years she has spent in the service of the organization or employer. The number of years is computed prior to the vacation date’s commencement. If she has finished

3 years, she will be fully paid

1 year, she will be half paid

If it is less than one year, she will not be paid (unpaid).

Child birth

In case of male employee, one paid leave is permitted for his child birth.

Eid ul Fitr

As per the Saudi Labor Law, you are permitted to have 4 fully paid leave commencing from the 30th Ramdan for the Eid ul Fitr (as per the article 112 of the Saudi Labor Law).

Eid ul Adha

As per the Saudi Labor Law, you are permitted to have 4 fully paid leave which commences from the 9th Zil Hajja for the Eid ul Adha (as per the article 112 of the Saudi Labor Law).

National day

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National day is celebrated on the 23rd of September and it is a fully paid holiday

Marriage leave

As per the Saudi Labor law, marriage leave is 3 days fully paid leave.

Leave that leads to termination

If the employee is absent from work for above 20 days without any suitable reason, and the employer or organization sending 2 warnings to him via email or to his registered address, subsequent to concluding 10 days & 15 days of absence, then without any notice the employer has the right to terminate him.

Yearly (annual) leave for the domestic employees

It is vital to specify here that the Saudi labor law is not applicable to the individual drivers, housemaids and other kind of visa which has been granted to the individual Saudi for their homes. A domestic employee is eligible to 1 month of paid leave subsequent to 2 years of working with her employer. In addition, the domestic workers are eligible for one day holiday in a week.