How many days of annual leave do you get in Kuwait?
At least 30 working days of paid leave a year (Article 70 of Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, as amended by Law 85/2017). Weekly rest days, public holidays and sick days that fall inside your leave do not count against the 30 days.
| Rule | Before 2017 | Since Law 85/2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Days a year | 30 days | 30 working days |
| First leave | After 9 months | After 6 months |
| Not counted inside leave | Public holidays, sick days | Weekly rest days, public holidays, sick days |
Many pages still say "30 calendar days after 9 months". That was the 2010 wording. With one rest day a week, 30 working days is about 5 calendar weeks.
What are the rules on taking and saving leave?
- Pay first: the wage for your leave is paid before the leave starts (Article 71).
- Dates: the employer sets them. With your consent the leave can be split, but only after the first 14 days are taken (Article 72).
- Saving leave: you can build up at most 2 years of leave. More only if you and the employer agree (Article 72).
- No cash while you work: you may not give up your leave, with or without payment (Article 74).
- Cash at the end: when the contract ends you are paid for all the leave you built up (Article 73).
How is leave salary worked out in Kuwait?
- 1Take your monthly wage (basic + regular allowances)
- 2Divide by 26 working days
- 3Multiply by your unused leave days
Article 67 says the worker's rights, "including his daily wage and his leave", are worked out by dividing the salary by the actual working days, without the weekly rest days. That is about 26 days a month, so:
Leave salary = monthly wage ÷ 26 × unused working days
Article 55 counts allowances and increments paid regularly as part of the wage, and Article 62 uses your last wage. Some employers pay on basic only or divide by 30, so check your contract and payslip.
| Monthly wage | Day's wage (÷ 26) | 10 days | 30 days | 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KWD 250 | KWD 9.615 | KWD 96.154 | KWD 288.462 | KWD 576.923 |
| KWD 400 | KWD 15.385 | KWD 153.846 | KWD 461.538 | KWD 923.077 |
| KWD 600 | KWD 23.077 | KWD 230.769 | KWD 692.308 | KWD 1,384.615 |
| KWD 1,000 | KWD 38.462 | KWD 384.615 | KWD 1,153.846 | KWD 2,307.692 |
A full year of leave is worth 30 ÷ 26 = 1.154 months of wage, not one month.
Worked examples
12 days left on exit: wage KWD 600, 12 unused working days. 600 ÷ 26 = KWD 23.077 a day, × 12 = KWD 276.923.
Leaving mid-year: wage KWD 600, joined 1 January 2023, last day 30 June 2026, 20 days saved from earlier years and 10 taken since 1 January 2026.
- Leave earned since 1 January 2026: 30 × 181 ÷ 365 = 14.88 days.
- Balance: 20 + 14.88 − 10 = 24.88 days.
- Leave salary: 24.88 × 600 ÷ 26 = KWD 574.078.
Divided by 30 instead of 26, the same balance would be worth KWD 497.53, about KWD 77 less.
What about your first year?
Leave for the first year is earned after 6 months of service. After that, part years count in proportion: 9 months (273 days) is 30 × 273 ÷ 365 = 22.44 working days. The law does not say clearly what happens if you leave before 6 months, so ask your employer how it counts a shorter stay.
Other paid leave in Kuwait
| Leave | Days | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Sick leave | 15 full pay, 10 at 3/4, 10 at 1/2, 10 at 1/4, then 30 unpaid | Art. 69 |
| Hajj | 21 days, paid, once, after 2 years of service | Art. 76 |
| Maternity | 70 days, paid | Art. 24 |
| Public holidays | 13 days a year on full pay | Art. 68 |
Work out your own leave salary →
For everything you get when you leave, use the Kuwait final settlement calculator.
This is an estimate under the published law, not legal advice. Your employer, the Public Authority for Manpower or a court gives the final figure.
Questions people ask about annual leave in Kuwait
Is Friday counted in annual leave in Kuwait? No. Since Law 85/2017 weekly rest days inside your leave do not count against the 30 working days (Article 70).
Can I get cash instead of leave in Kuwait? Not while you are employed (Article 74). Unused leave is paid in cash when the contract ends (Article 73).
How many years of leave can I carry forward? Up to 2 years, more only if both sides agree (Article 72).
Is leave salary on basic or total salary? The law counts regular allowances as wage (Article 55), so the total regular wage. Check your contract.
Sources
- Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Arabic text (PAM print, June 2017) (Articles 24, 55, 62, 67, 68, 69, 71 to 74, 76)
- Kuwait Times: Assembly raises annual leave (Law 85/2017) (Article 70)
- Legal500 (Ogletree with Al Tamimi): new rules on annual leave
- Kuwait Times: annual leave questions answered (2017)
This guide is general information, checked in November 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Public Authority for Manpower.