Saudi employment contracts and probation

What the written contract should record

The official model records both parties' details, the worker's identity and nationality, the agreed wage including benefits and allowances, the type and place of work, the start date and the duration if fixed. Extra clauses are possible only when they do not conflict with the Law or its implementing rules.

The contract is made for both parties. Compare the signed copy, the Qiwa record and the offer you accepted. Do not approve an electronic amendment that contains a lower wage or a different job unless that is your genuine, lawful agreement.

Rules for non-Saudi workers

Article 37 now requires a non-Saudi worker's contract to be written and fixed-term. If the contract does not state a duration, the current rule treats it as one year from the actual start date; continued work renews it for a similar period.

This is important because older guides may still say the work-permit duration automatically becomes the contract duration. The current official text should be used instead.

Probation: write it, limit it, understand it

Probation is not automatic. It must be expressly stated and its total cannot exceed 180 days. Official HRSD guidance excludes sick leave and the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays from the calculation.

During probation, the party holding the contractual termination right may end the relationship without termination compensation; the worker does not receive an end-of-service award for that probationary termination. Wages already earned and other due rights still have to be settled.

• Check who has the right to terminate during probation.
• Keep the start date and excluded leave dates.
• A second probation with the same employer needs specific legal conditions and written agreement.

Before you accept in Qiwa

Verify the employer name, occupation, city, basic wage, every allowance, working pattern, contract duration, renewal wording and notice clauses. Save a PDF or screenshot of the accepted version and never share your account verification code.