Leave policy in Saudi Arabia

Employers must have a clear idea and understanding of the statutory leave entitlements in Saudi Arabia when planning to hire in the country. 

The Saudi Labor Law governs the leave policy in the country. The policy outlines the entitlements and the rights of the employees across various leave types. Right from annual vacations and sick leave to Hajj and maternity leave, the leave policy in Saudi Arabia ensures that employees maintain a work-life balance and receive adequate rest. Non-compliance with leave laws in Saudi Arabia can be difficult for the employer. 

An EOR platform, such as Payoneer Workforce Management, helps navigate compliance with the leave policy in the country. Along with managing entitled leaves, it also assists with payroll management, HR administration, onboarding, termination, and more in Saudi Arabia.

Vacation & annual leave in Saudi Arabia

A vacation or annual leave in the country is a statutory leave in Saudi Arabia. The number of days of annual leave in Saudi Arabia depends on the tenure of the employee with the same employer. Employees have to enjoy this annual leave in the year it is due. 

Here are the details:

Leaves can be carried forward only with the employer’s approval, typically up to 1 year, after which the leaves lapse.

Public holidays

There are 13-16 public holidays in Saudi Arabia. These are as follows:

• Eid Al-Fitr holiday – 4 days of holiday starting from the day following the 29th of Ramadan. 
• Eid Al-Adha holiday – 4 days of holiday starting from ARAFAT day.
• Founding Day – 1 day official holiday
• National Day – 2 days of official holiday
• Saudi Flag Day
• Muharram

The dates for Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha will vary every year. Check the official holiday calendar for Saudi Arabia on the government site for more details on the days and dates. 

Sick leave in Saudi Arabia

One of the important statutory leaves in Saudi Arabia is the sick leave for employees. Employees are entitled to 30 days of sick leave in Saudi Arabia. However, there are conditions when it comes to sick leave pay:

• The employee gets full payment for the first 15 days.
• The employee gets 75% for the next 15 days. 

Maternity leave in Saudi Arabia

Female employees are entitled to a total of 12 weeks of maternity leave in Saudi Arabia. 

• Employees have to take maternity leave for the weeks immediately preceding the expected date of delivery. 
• A woman may not work for a few weeks immediately after the delivery.  

The amount of maternity leave pay depends on the female employee’s service tenure with the employer. 

Paternity leave in Saudi Arabia

Male employees are entitled to 5 days of paternity leave in Saudi Arabia. 

Other types of leaves in Saudi Arabia

Apart from the above-mentioned statutory leaves and paid time off in Saudi Arabia, employees in the country are entitled to several other leaves. Some prominent ones are as follows:

Pilgrimage leave/Hajj leave

• In Saudi Arabia, employees can take 15 days or fewer than 10 days of Hajj leave with full salary.
• This is a once-in-a-lifetime leave for the employee’s entire service period. 
• To be eligible for this leave, the employee must have a minimum of 2 years of employment service. 

Compassionate leave

Employees in Saudi Arabia are entitled to compassionate leave. This leave is granted for 5 days in the event of the demise of the parent, spouse, or child. 

Wedding leave

Employees are granted 5 days of wedding leave in Saudi Arabia. However, this is a one-time leave in the country. 

Explore Payoneer Workforce Management in Saudi Arabia

Employers and employees must have a solid knowledge of the leave laws and leave policy in Saudi Arabia for compliance adherence. 

Payoneer Workforce Management, a trusted EOR platform, helps with managing time-off, payroll, onboarding, and more. This helps employees get proper leave entitlements in Saudi Arabia, and employers follow the leave laws.

Book a demo with Payoneer Workforce Management now!

FAQs

1. What are the leave rules in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia’s labor law provides employees with 21 days of paid annual leave for the first five years of service, increasing to 30 days after that. Employees also get 30 days of paid sick leave, five days of marriage leave, paid public holidays (like National Day and Founding Day), and mandatory leave for Hajj.

2. Can an employer deny an employee’s annual leave request?

Typically, an employer in Saudi Arabia cannot completely deny an employee’s annual leave request. However, the employer can postpone the leave for a period of not more than a few days. In such a case, the leave must be granted within the following year. 

3. Do employees in Saudi Arabia get compassionate leave?

Yes, employees in Saudi Arabia are entitled to 5 days of compassionate leave in the event of the demise of a parent, spouse, or child. 

4. How does Payoneer Workforce Management help companies manage employee leave policies and entitlements?

Payoneer Workforce Management helps businesses manage employee leave by supporting leave tracking, staying compliant with local labor laws, and handling approvals efficiently. It helps keep records accurate, reduces manual work, and makes it easier to manage different types of leave in one place. 

5. Does Saudi Arabia have a leave carry-forward policy?

Yes, Saudi Arabia’s Labor Laws provide a leave carry-forward policy. As per the law, the annual leave is to be taken in the year it falls due. Carry forward is only allowed with the employer’s approval. This is typically limited to one year. Leaves can be carried forward up to 21 days (one year’s entitlement).