Saudi Arabia Sick Leave: 30 Days Full Pay, 60 at Three Quarters, for Pakistani Workers

Short answer: In the Saudi Labor Law text on the HRSD website, a worker whose illness is proven gets 30 days of sick leave on full pay, then 60 days on three quarters of the wage, then 30 days unpaid. That is up to 120 days in one year. The year starts on the date of your first sick leave.

A Pakistani worker in Saudi Arabia who falls ill has two fears. One is losing the wage. The other is losing the job. The law deals with both, in Articles 117 and 82. We read them on the website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) and set them out in simple steps.

A warning first. The English file on HRSD's site is the 2005 text, Royal Decree M/51. The law was reported to be amended in February 2025, and we could not open an official amended text. Treat the figures as the text we read, and check your contract and Qiwa record.

Sick leave pays in three stages across 120 days

Article 117 says a worker whose illness has been proven is eligible for paid sick leave for the first 30 days, three quarters of the wage for the next 60 days, and no pay for the following 30 days, during a single year. The days may be continuous or intermittent.

"Intermittent" means scattered. Three days in January and ten days in June are added together. The count does not restart for each illness.

The sick leave year starts on your first sick day

Article 117 defines the year as the one that begins from the date of the first sick leave. It is not the calendar year and not your contract year. If your first sick leave is 10 March, your sick leave year runs to 9 March the next year.

After that year ends, a new count starts with your next sick leave. So keep the date of your first sick leave for each year, and keep a note of the days used.

Say you take 12 days in April and 25 days in August. That is 37 days in one sick leave year. The first 30 are on full pay, and the next seven are at three quarters of the wage.

The illness must be proven, so get a medical report

The article says "illness has been proven". It does not say in the text we read what paper counts. In practice the proof is a medical report from a doctor. We did not read the Regulations, so we cannot name the exact form or platform.

1. Tell your supervisor or HR the same day, by message if you can.
2. See a doctor and ask for a written medical report with the dates of rest.
3. Give a copy to HR and keep the original or a photo.
4. Write down your first sick leave date and the days used.
5. Ask HR to confirm the pay stage on your payslip each month.

Article 118 stops you working for another employer while you enjoy a leave in this chapter. If the employer proves it, he may withhold wages for the leave or recover what he paid. Sick leave is for rest, not for a second job.

The employer cannot fire you for illness before your leave is used

Article 82 says an employer may not terminate a worker's services on account of illness before giving him the period set for sick leave. The worker may also ask that his sick leave be combined with his annual leave.

That second right can help. If your sick days run out and you are still unfit, you may ask to add annual leave days on full pay. Our guide to Saudi annual leave of 21 to 30 days explains how that leave works.

The protection is limited. Article 82 stops dismissal "on account of illness" before the leave period is given. It does not say a job is safe forever. If you are dismissed, read what notice and compensation a Saudi employer owes.

Work injuries and pregnancy are handled separately

Sick leave under Article 117 is for illness. A work injury or an occupational disease falls under a different chapter of the law and the Social Insurance Law. Pregnancy and maternity have their own articles, including a rule against dismissal during pregnancy and maternity leave.

We did not read the work injury rules in full, so we do not state their amounts here. If you were hurt at work, tell your employer in writing at once and call your embassy's community welfare section. Our page on Pakistan embassy contacts in Saudi Arabia lists the numbers.

For rules back home, compare with sick leave rights in Pakistan. The day counts differ.

Common questions

How many days of sick leave does a worker get in Saudi Arabia?

Up to 120 days in one year: 30 on full pay, 60 on three quarters of the wage and 30 unpaid, under Article 117 of the Labor Law text on HRSD's site.

When does the sick leave year start?

It starts on the date of your first sick leave, not on 1 January. Article 117 says a single year means the year beginning from the date of the first sick leave.

Can my employer terminate me while I am sick?

Not on account of illness before you have been given the sick leave period. Article 82 sets that rule. Other lawful reasons for termination are not covered by it.

Can I combine sick leave with annual leave?

Yes. Article 82 gives the worker the right to request that sick leave be combined with annual leave.

Do I need a medical report?

The article requires that the illness be proven. A written medical report from a doctor is the sensible proof, but we did not read the Regulations on the exact paper or system.

Did the 2025 amendments change sick leave?

We found no verified report of a change to Article 117, but we could not open an official amended text. Confirm the figures with HRSD or your contract.

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 82, 117 and 118 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 read the implementing Regulations or an amended text.