Foreign workers
Foreign workers, Qiwa and protecting your records
For a foreign worker, the Arabic legal record and the authenticated Qiwa contract matter more than a recruiter chat or an unsigned promise. Keep a complete personal file from recruitment to final exit or transfer.
Last legal review: 28 August 2026
Article 37 in plain language
A non-Saudi employment contract must be written and fixed-term. If the duration is missing, the current rule makes it one year from the worker's actual start date, renewed for a similar term if work continues.
Do not rely on older summaries saying that an unspecified contract automatically takes the work-permit duration. The official Article 37 text was changed.
Match the job, wage and city
Before accepting in Qiwa, compare the occupation, work location, basic wage, allowances, duration and renewal clause with the offer. A worker should not be assigned permanently to fundamentally different work without lawful written agreement.
Keep your own evidence file
Keep the offer, authenticated contract, amendments, bank statements, payslips, attendance, leave approvals, medical reports and notices. Store copies somewhere the employer cannot remove from your phone or work account.
- Never share a Qiwa or Absher verification code.
- Do not approve a contract you cannot read; obtain a reliable translation.
- Do not work for another employer outside the prescribed legal procedure.
Use the correct official route
Qiwa manages many contract actions. HRSD's violation-reporting service handles regulatory reports, while Friendly Settlement begins individual labor disputes. A criminal emergency or immediate threat should go to the competent emergency authority, not only an online labor form.
Related common questions
Is there an automatic probation period if my contract does not state one?
No. A probation period must be expressly stated and clearly defined in the employment contract; it is not automatic.
Open question 1What is the maximum probation period?
The total probation period must not exceed 180 days. Check the written contract and the current implementing rules for how it is arranged.
Open question 2Can either party end the contract during probation without compensation?
Generally yes, if the termination right applies to that party under the contract. Neither party receives termination compensation, and the worker does not receive an end-of-service award for that period.
Open question 3Do sick leave and Eid holidays count inside probation?
Official HRSD guidance says sick leave and the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays are excluded when calculating the probation period.
Open question 4Can a former employee be placed on probation again?
Only under the statutory conditions, such as a different job or work, or after at least six months since the earlier relationship ended, and with a written agreement.
Open question 5Official sources
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