Saudi Labor Law Notice Period & Resignation Rules 2026

The amendments that came into force on 19 February 2025 changed how a private-sector job in Saudi Arabia ends. The notice period under the Saudi Labor Law is now different for the worker and the employer, resignation has its own article with fixed deadlines, and probation can run up to 180 days. This guide follows the current HRSD text, with a worked example in SAR, for employees who want to resign correctly and for HR teams processing the exit.

Quick answer: For an indefinite contract with a monthly wage, the worker must give at least 30 days' written notice and the employer at least 60 days (Article 75); if the wage is not paid monthly, both give 30 days. Skipping the notice costs the worker's wage for the notice period, unless agreed otherwise (Article 76). A resignation is deemed accepted if the employer does not reply within 30 days; the employer can postpone acceptance by up to 60 days in writing, and the worker can withdraw within 7 days (Article 79 bis). Resigning reduces the end-of-service award under Article 85, and the final settlement is due within two weeks (Article 88).

Notice periods for indefinite contracts (Article 75)

Article 74 lists the ways a contract ends. One of them is "the will of one of the parties in contracts of indefinite duration, in accordance with Article 75". Article 75 lets either side end an indefinite contract for a legitimate reason, by written notice:

Before the amendments, both sides gave 60 days on a monthly wage, so templates that still say "60 days by either party" need updating.

• It must be written. A verbal "I am leaving next month" is not notice. Use a dated letter or email, or the contract termination service on Qiwa, which HRSD says is available to both the establishment and the worker.
• The numbers are minimums. Article 75 says "at least". Do not rely on a contract clause that gives less notice than the law.
• A legitimate reason is needed. Article 75 allows termination "for a legitimate reason". Ending the contract without one can lead to Article 77 compensation on top of any notice issue (see below).

Fixed-term contracts are different. Article 75 covers only indefinite contracts, so a fixed-term contract ends on its end date with no notice needed. If either side ends it early without a legitimate reason, Article 77 applies. Under Article 55 a fixed-term contract becomes indefinite if both sides keep working after it expires, or after three renewals or four years (whichever is less), so check the contract type first. For non-Saudi workers, Article 37 requires a written, fixed-term contract, so check how your contract is registered on Qiwa before assuming Article 75 notice applies to you.

How resignation works now (Article 79 bis)

The amendments added Article 79 bis and a new definition in Article 2. Resignation is defined as "the worker's written declaration of their desire, without coercion, to terminate a fixed-term employment contract without any condition or stipulation, and the employer's acceptance of it." So, strictly, Article 79 bis covers leaving a fixed-term contract early, and Article 75 notice covers leaving an indefinite one. In daily HR language both are "resigning"; follow the reason codes Qiwa offers for your contract type.

The Article 79 bis rules:

1. Submit in writing and keep dated proof (Qiwa record, signed copy or email).
2. No future date. The law says "a deferred date of resignation shall not be specified in the resignation request." Write the request without a "last working day" months ahead.
3. Deemed acceptance after 30 days. If 30 days pass from submission without a reply, the resignation counts as accepted.
4. Employer postponement. The employer can postpone acceptance for up to 60 days "if the interests of the work require it", with a written explanation given to the worker before the 30 days end. The 60 days run from the date the worker receives that explanation.
5. Withdrawal. The worker can withdraw within 7 days of submission, unless the employer accepted before the withdrawal.
6. When the contract ends. On the employer's acceptance, after 30 days with no reply, or when the postponement period ends.
7. Keep working. "The employment contract remains valid during the resignation request period", and both sides must keep all obligations. The worker keeps coming to work and the employer keeps paying the wage.

Example dates. A resignation submitted on 1 March 2026 can be withdrawn until 8 March and, with no reply, has 30 days passed on 31 March. If HR gives a written, reasoned postponement on 20 March, the latest end date is 19 May 2026. Check your own dates with the days calculator.

When not to resign: if the employer has not paid your wage or broke the contract, a normal resignation may cost you part of your end-of-service award. Article 81 (below) may be the better route.

Compensation in lieu of notice and Article 77

Article 76 (notice not respected). If the party ending an indefinite contract does not observe the Article 75 notice, it must pay the other party "an amount equal to the worker's wage for the same notice period, unless the two parties agree otherwise."

So an employer that ends the contract without notice owes the wage for the 60-day (or 30-day) notice, and a worker who leaves without notice owes the wage for 30 days. "Wage" means the actual wage (basic plus allowances due, Article 2), not basic only. The parties can agree on something else in writing, for example a shorter notice with no payment.

The text does not say how to handle notice that was only partly worked. Many employers charge only the unserved days, and the "unless the two parties agree otherwise" wording lets you put that in writing. Without an agreement, check with HRSD before deducting anything.

Article 77 (termination for an illegitimate reason). Unless the contract sets its own compensation, the party harmed by an illegitimate termination is owed:

Articles 76 and 77 are different items. Article 76 is about the notice period; Article 77 is about the reason for ending the contract. Show each on its own line in the settlement.

Rights during notice, probation and leaving under Article 81

Paid job-search time (Article 78). When the employer gives the notice, the worker may be absent one full day a week, or eight hours during the week, to look for another job, with pay. The worker picks the day or hours and tells the employer at least one day before. The employer may release the worker from working during the notice, but the wage for the notice period is still due and the service counts as continuous until its end. For end-of-service, the last day of service is the end of the notice period.

Probation (Articles 53 and 54). The probation period must be written in the contract with a set duration, and the total cannot exceed 180 days. Both parties can end the contract during probation. Article 54 says that when the contract ends in probation, neither side gets compensation and the worker gets no end-of-service award, and Article 80 lists probation as a case where the employer can end the contract without notice.

Leaving without notice (Article 81). The worker may leave "without notice, while retaining all their statutory rights" in the listed cases. They include an employer that does not meet its essential obligations (for example, unpaid wages), deceived the worker about the work terms, assigned fundamentally different work in breach of Article 60, assaulted the worker, treated the worker harshly or humiliatingly, ignored a known serious danger, or pushed the worker to look as if he or she ended the contract.

Because the worker keeps all statutory rights, an Article 81 exit gets the full end-of-service award, not the reduced resignation share. Keep evidence (salary records, messages, an HRSD complaint) before relying on it.

Effect on end-of-service and the final settlement

End-of-service share (Article 85). Article 85 applies "if the employment relationship ends due to the worker's resignation":

A worker who ends an indefinite contract with Article 75 notice is normally treated as resigning for these shares. Article 87 keeps the full award for force majeure, and for a female worker who ends the contract within six months of her marriage contract or three months of giving birth. The full formula, which wage counts and worked examples are in the end of service benefits calculation guide, and the end of service calculator does the arithmetic with the reason you pick.

Final settlement deadline (Article 88). The employer must pay the wage and settle the worker's dues within one week after the contract ends. If the worker ended the contract, the deadline is two weeks. The employer may deduct work-related debts the worker owes it.

Worked example and a PHP helper

Case: indefinite contract, monthly actual wage 8,000 SAR (basic plus fixed allowances). The worker gives 30 days' written notice but stops coming after 10 days. Using a 30-day month, a common payroll convention:

Daily wage            = 8,000 ÷ 30          = 266.67 SAR
Wage for 10 days worked = 10 × 8,000 ÷ 30   = 2,666.67 SAR (owed to the worker)
Unserved notice days  = 30 − 10             = 20 days
Notice pay, unserved days = 20 × 8,000 ÷ 30 = 5,333.33 SAR
Notice pay, full period   = 30 × 8,000 ÷ 30 = 8,000.00 SAR

If both agree in writing that only the unserved part is due, the worker owes 5,333.33 SAR. Article 76 speaks of the wage "for the same notice period", which some read as the full 8,000 SAR, so agree it in writing instead of deducting it silently.

Employer side: if the employer ends the same contract and releases the worker on day one, it owes the wage for the full 60-day notice: 60 × 8,000 ÷ 30 = 16,000 SAR, and the service runs to the end of those 60 days (Article 78). If the termination also had no legitimate reason, Article 77 compensation is added: for 4 years of service, 4 × 15 days = 60 days = 16,000 SAR, which meets the two-month minimum.

From my own work: In the Laravel HR system I built and run, HR enters only the date the resignation was submitted. The system then works out the notice end date from that date by itself, instead of someone counting days by hand. The helper below follows the same idea in plain PHP.

If you build these rules into a PHP or Laravel HR app, keep them in small functions and test them against the numbers above (PHP 8.0+, works with Carbon too):

<?php
// Article 79 bis key dates from the submission date.
function resignationDates(string $submitted, ?string $postponeNotice = null): array
{
    $d = new DateTimeImmutable($submitted);
    $out = [
        'withdraw_until'  => $d->modify('+7 days')->format('Y-m-d'),
        'deemed_accepted' => $d->modify('+30 days')->format('Y-m-d'),
    ];
    if ($postponeNotice !== null) {   // written, reasoned postponement given to worker
        $out['latest_end'] = (new DateTimeImmutable($postponeNotice))
            ->modify('+60 days')->format('Y-m-d');
    }
    return $out;
}

// Article 76 notice pay on the actual monthly wage, 30-day month.
function noticePay(float $monthlyWage, int $days): float
{
    return round($monthlyWage / 30 * $days, 2);
}

print_r(resignationDates('2026-03-01', '2026-03-20'));
echo noticePay(8000, 20), PHP_EOL;   // 5333.33
echo noticePay(8000, 60), PHP_EOL;   // 16000

To verify, run it with php file.php: it must print 2026-03-08, 2026-03-31 and 2026-05-19, then 5333.33 and 16000.

Common mistakes

1. Using the old 60-day worker notice. The worker's minimum is now 30 days; the employer's is still 60.
2. Putting a future date in the resignation request. Article 79 bis does not allow it.
3. Ignoring a resignation. Silence for 30 days means it is accepted.
4. Postponing too late or verbally. It needs work reasons, a written explanation before day 30, and a maximum of 60 days.
5. Stopping work after submitting. The contract stays in force. Unexcused absence can lead to an Article 80 dismissal and no end-of-service award.
6. Notice pay on basic salary only. The law uses the actual wage.
7. Forgetting the Article 78 paid job-search day when the employer gives notice.
8. Coding an Article 81 exit as a resignation, which wrongly cuts the award to the Article 85 share.
9. Missing the Article 88 deadline.

This article is general information, not legal advice; your contract, work regulation and later amendments can change the result. Disputes go to HRSD for settlement and then to the labor courts. More calculators and guides are in the Saudi HR & payroll toolkit.

FAQ

What is the notice period under the Saudi Labor Law in 2026?

For an indefinite contract with a monthly wage: at least 30 days by the worker and 60 days by the employer (Article 75). If the wage is not paid monthly, 30 days each. Fixed-term contracts have no Article 75 notice.

Can my employer refuse or delay my resignation in Saudi Arabia?

It can postpone acceptance for up to 60 days for work reasons, with a written explanation given within 30 days of submission. If it does nothing for 30 days, the resignation is deemed accepted (Article 79 bis).

Can I leave immediately if I pay in lieu of notice?

Yes, if the employer agrees. Article 76 sets the wage for the notice period unless both agree otherwise, so put the amount (full period, unserved days or nothing) in writing.

Do I lose end-of-service benefits if I resign?

Partly. Article 85 gives nothing below 2 years, one third for 2 to 5 years, two thirds for more than 5 and less than 10, and the full award from 10 years. Article 81 and Article 87 exits keep the full award.

Sources

• HRSD: Labor Law, Part Five, Labor Relations (Articles 53 to 55, 74 to 88): https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/en/node/5576001
• HRSD: Labor Law, Part One, Definitions and General Provisions (Article 2, definitions of resignation and wage): https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/en/node/5575978
• HRSD: Labor Law index (Knowledge Centre): https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/en/knowledge-centre/%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84
• HRSD: Announcement of the Labor Law amendments effective 19 February 2025: https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/fr/node/5573522
• Umm Al-Qura Gazette: Amendment of some articles of the Labor Law (Arabic): https://www.uqn.gov.sa/details?p=25379
• HRSD: Terminate an employment contract, Qiwa user guide (PDF): https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2026-09/terminate-an-employment-contract---user-guide.pdf