Standard Working Hours in Saudi Arabia
Under Saudi Labor Law, the standard working day and week are capped to protect employees from excessive work demands. Key rules include:
- Maximum ordinary working hours: 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
- During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslim employees' working hours are reduced to 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week.
- These limits apply regardless of what your contract says — any clause requiring more hours without overtime compensation is void.
Rest Breaks and Daily Rest
Your employer is legally required to ensure you receive adequate rest during and between shifts:
- Employees must not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a rest break for prayer, rest, and meals.
- Rest breaks must be no less than 30 minutes in total and are not counted as part of working hours.
- Your employer must post the working hour schedule, break times, and shift start/end times visibly at the workplace.
Weekly Rest Day
- Every employee is entitled to a paid weekly rest day, which is Friday by default under Saudi law.
- Your employment contract or work bylaws may specify a different rest day with the employee's agreement.
- If you are required to work on your weekly rest day, you are entitled to compensation in accordance with overtime rules.
Overtime Rules and Pay
Any hours worked beyond the standard 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week are considered overtime and must be compensated at a premium rate:
- Overtime must be paid at a rate of at least 150% of your basic hourly wage.
- Employers cannot force you to work excessive overtime or use overtime to bypass minimum wage protections.
- Practical tip: Keep your own record of hours worked, including overtime. This documentation is invaluable if a wage dispute arises.
Official Public Holidays
Employees in Saudi Arabia are entitled to paid leave on officially recognized public holidays. The main national holidays include:
- Eid Al-Fitr (typically 3 days)
- Eid Al-Adha (typically 3 days)
- Saudi National Day (September 23)
If you are required to work on a public holiday, you are entitled to extra compensation under the law.
Annual Leave Entitlements
Saudi Labor Law guarantees paid annual leave based on your length of service:
- 21 days of paid annual leave per year for employees with less than 5 years of service.
- 30 days of paid annual leave per year for employees with 5 or more years of service.
- Annual leave must be taken at a time agreed upon between employer and employee, though the employer may not indefinitely defer your leave.
- If you leave employment without having taken accrued leave, you are entitled to payment in lieu of unused leave days.
Sick Leave
If you fall ill, Saudi Labor Law provides a structured sick leave entitlement:
- Employees are entitled to paid sick leave after completing their probationary period.
- The first 30 days of sick leave per year are paid at full salary.
- The next 60 days are paid at 75% of salary.
- Any further sick leave in the same year is unpaid.
- You must provide a medical certificate from an approved medical provider to qualify for sick leave protections.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
- Female employees are entitled to 10 weeks of paid maternity leave (recent amendments have extended this — verify the current figure with the Ministry or your HR department, as regulations are periodically updated).
- Maternity leave can begin up to 4 weeks before the expected date of delivery.
- Saudi law also provides paternity leave for Saudi national employees. Expatriate fathers should check current regulations or their company work bylaws for applicable provisions.
Incidental, Seasonal, and Temporary Workers
Even if you are employed on a short-term or seasonal basis, you retain important protections:
- You are still covered by rules on maximum working hours, rest intervals, overtime, official holidays, and safety regulations.
- Do not assume that a temporary contract strips you of these core rights.
Practical Tips for Expats
- Track your hours carefully from day one, using a simple spreadsheet or app.
- Request written confirmation of your leave balance from HR periodically.
- If your employer refuses to pay overtime or denies annual leave, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development through the Musaned or Qiwa platforms.
- Always request a medical certificate on the first day of illness to preserve your sick leave entitlement.
- Note that Saudi Arabia uses the Hijri (Islamic) calendar for official schedules unless your contract specifies otherwise — be aware of this when calculating leave periods.