What is the notice period in Saudi Arabia now?
Article 75 of the Saudi Labor Law was changed by Royal Decree M/44, in force since 19 February 2025. For an open-ended (indefinite) contract ended for a legitimate reason, written notice is:
| Open-ended contract | Before 19 Feb 2025 | Since 19 Feb 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly wage, the worker ends it | At least 60 days | At least 30 days |
| Monthly wage, the employer ends it | At least 60 days | At least 60 days |
| Wage not paid monthly, either side | At least 30 days | At least 30 days |
Many websites still say 60 days for both sides. That was the rule before February 2025. The contract can set a longer notice, but not a shorter one.
What if notice is not served under Article 76?
The side that ends an open-ended contract without the notice pays the other side the worker's wage for the notice period, unless both agree on more. It works both ways:
- The employer skips notice: it pays you the wage for the days of notice not given.
- You leave without serving notice: you owe the employer the wage for the days you did not serve.
Notice pay = notice days not served × actual monthly wage ÷ 30.
| Actual wage | 10 days | 30 days | 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAR 4,500 | SAR 1,500 | SAR 4,500 | SAR 9,000 |
| SAR 6,000 | SAR 2,000 | SAR 6,000 | SAR 12,000 |
| SAR 8,000 | SAR 2,666.67 | SAR 8,000 | SAR 16,000 |
During notice given by the employer you get a full day or 8 hours a week off with pay to look for a new job (Article 78). The employer may also excuse you from work during the notice, and your service and rights continue until it ends.
Ended without a valid reason (Article 77)
If a contract is ended without a valid reason, the other side gets compensation, unless the contract sets its own amount:
- Open-ended contract: 15 days' wage for each year of service.
- Fixed-term contract: the wage for the rest of the term.
- In both cases: never less than 2 months' wage.
Example: actual wage SAR 7,000 after 3 years. 15 × 3 = 45 days, which is SAR 10,500. That is under the 2 month minimum of SAR 14,000, so the compensation is SAR 14,000. After 6 years it would be 90 days, SAR 21,000. From 4 years of service, 15 days a year reaches the 2 month floor.
Whether notice pay under Article 76 is due on top of Article 77 compensation for the same dismissal is decided case by case. Check before you count both.
How resignation works since 2025 (Article 79 bis)
The 2025 amendments added a new article on resignation:
- 1Give your resignation in writing
- 2The employer answers within 30 days, or it counts as accepted
- 3The employer may postpone it up to 60 days with written reasons
- 4You may withdraw it within 7 days unless already accepted
Your contract stays in force while the request is pending, and resigning does not take away your legal rights. Your end-of-service award on resignation still follows Article 85: nothing under 2 years, one third for 2 to 5 years, two thirds for 5 to 10 years, all from 10 years.
Notice during probation
Probation must be written in the contract and may not be more than 180 days in total (Article 53, as amended). If the contract ends during probation, neither side owes compensation and no end-of-service award is due (Article 54).
When must the final settlement be paid?
Within one week of the end of the contract, or within two weeks if the worker ended it (Article 88). The employer may deduct work-related debts you owe.
Work out your final settlement with notice pay →
This is an estimate under the published law, not legal advice. Your employer, HRSD or a labour court gives the final figure.
Questions people ask about the Saudi notice period
What is the notice period for resignation in Saudi Arabia? At least 30 days for a monthly-paid worker on an open-ended contract, since 19 February 2025 (Article 75).
What is the employer's notice period in Saudi Arabia? At least 60 days for a monthly-paid worker on an open-ended contract.
What if I do not serve my notice period in Saudi Arabia? You owe the employer your wage for the notice days not served (Article 76).
Is notice pay on basic or actual salary? On the actual wage, basic plus allowances, which is what the law means by wage (Article 2).
Can my employer refuse my resignation? It can postpone it by up to 60 days with written reasons. If it does not answer within 30 days, the resignation counts as accepted (Article 79 bis).
Sources
- HRSD: amendments to the Labor Law, before and after (2025) (Articles 53, 75, 79 bis)
- HRSD: awareness guide on the rights and duties of employers and workers (2025) (notice, Article 77)
- Saudi Labor Law, English text on HRSD (Articles 76, 77, 78, 80, 85, 88)
This guide is general information, checked in November 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with HRSD.