Saudi Arabia Probation Period: 90 Days, Up to 180, and No End-of-Service Award
Saudi Labor Law allows 90 days of probation, up to 180 by written agreement, and no end-of-service award if you leave in it. See what to check in your contract.
Short answer: In the Saudi Labor Law text on the HRSD website, a probation period must be written in your contract and may not exceed 90 days, not counting the two Eid holidays and sick leave. It can be extended by written agreement, up to 180 days. Either side may end the contract during probation, and no end-of-service award is due.
A new Pakistani worker arrives in the Kingdom, starts the job and hears "you are on probation." What does that mean for the visa, the wage and the right to stay? We read Articles 53 and 54 of the Labor Law on the website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) to answer in plain steps.
A warning on the text. The English file on HRSD's site is the 2005 version, Royal Decree M/51. The law was reported to be amended in February 2025, with probation reported as up to 180 days. We could not open an official amended text. Check the figure in your own contract and Qiwa record.
Probation must be written in the contract
Article 53 says that if a worker is subject to a probation period, it must be expressly stated and clearly indicated in the work contract. If your contract says nothing about probation, an employer cannot add it later by a verbal remark.
So the first check is simple. Open your contract and look for the word probation. Check the number of days. If you only have the visa copy and an offer letter, ask for the signed contract.
| Point | What Article 53 and 54 say |
|---|---|
| Where it must appear | Expressly in the work contract |
| Normal maximum | 90 days, not counting Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and sick leaves |
| Extension | By written agreement, up to 180 days |
| Ending the contract | Either party may, unless the contract limits it to one |
| Probation twice with one employer | Not allowed, with two exceptions |
| End-of-service award | Not due if terminated in probation |
The 90 days do not count Eids and sick leave
Article 53 sets 90 days as the limit, "exclusive of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha holidays and sick leaves". That means a day of sick leave or Eid does not use up your probation. The calendar end date moves later by those days.
The employer and the worker may extend probation by written agreement, but not beyond 180 days in total. Note the word agreement. The employer cannot extend it alone.
- Find the start date on your contract or your first payslip.
- Add 90 days, then add each Eid holiday and each sick leave day.
- Write the result as your probation end date.
- If your employer asks to extend, ask for the extension in writing.
- Keep a signed copy. Do not agree beyond 180 days in total.
Either side can end the contract during probation
Article 53 gives each party the right to terminate the contract during probation, unless the contract gives that right to only one of them. So an employer can let you go. You can also leave. The text we read does not set a notice period for this case.
Article 54 says that if the contract ends during probation, neither party is entitled to compensation, and the worker is not entitled to an end-of-service award. That is the cost of probation. Do not expect the award calculation in our end-of-service award guide to apply to those months.
Wages for days you worked are still owed. Ending the contract does not wipe out unpaid salary. We say more on that in how Saudi salary must be paid and what may be deducted.
One probation per employer, with two exceptions
Article 54 says a worker may not be placed on probation more than once by the same employer. There are two exceptions. A second probation can be agreed in writing if it is for another profession or work, or if at least six months have passed since the work relationship ended.
This matters when a firm renews your contract or moves you to a new role. A new job title alone may allow a second probation, but only by written agreement. Without that, a second probation is not allowed.
It also matters if you were hired through an agent and then moved to the real employer. Ask whether the probation was written in the contract signed with the employer who actually pays you.
Before you travel, read the contract and the Pakistani side
Many probation disputes start in Pakistan, with a different contract from the one signed in the Kingdom. Read your Protector and OEC paperwork against the contract. Our guide to applying for Saudi and Gulf jobs through an OEC explains that paper trail.
If you were dismissed in probation and were not paid, contact your embassy early. Pakistan embassy contacts in Saudi Arabia lists the numbers we verified. For Pakistan's own rules on probation at home, see probation period employee rights in Pakistan.
Common questions
How long can probation be in Saudi Arabia?
Up to 90 days in the law text we read, not counting Eids and sick leave. It may be extended by written agreement to 180 days. Reports say the 2025 amendments allow up to 180 days directly.
Must probation be in my contract?
Yes. Article 53 says the probation period must be expressly stated and clearly indicated in the work contract. A verbal statement is not enough.
Can I be dismissed during probation without notice?
Article 53 lets either party terminate during probation. The text we read gives no notice period for that case, and Article 54 says no compensation is due to either side.
Do I get an end-of-service award if I leave in probation?
No. Article 54 says the worker is not entitled to an end-of-service award if the contract ends during probation. Wages for days worked are still due.
Can an employer put me on probation twice?
Not normally. Article 54 allows a second one only by written agreement, for a different profession or work, or if six months have passed since the work relationship ended.
Which figure should I trust, 90 or 180 days?
Trust your signed contract and your Qiwa record. The law text we read says 90 days, extendable to 180, and the reported 2025 amendment says up to 180. We could not open the amended text.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Checked on 11 October 2026. We read Articles 53 and 54 of the Saudi Labor Law English text on the HRSD website (hrsd.gov.sa, file dated February 2023, Royal Decree M/51 of 2005). We did not open an amended official text or the implementing Regulations.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
