Saudi Work Injury Compensation for Pakistani Workers: Full Wage for 60 Days, Then 75%, and SAR 54,000 Minimum
Saudi work injury rules for Pakistani workers: when GOSI covers you, full wage for 60 days then 75%, 3 years' wages or SAR 54,000 and the 12 month claim limit.
Under the Saudi Labour Law, an employer whose firm is not covered by GOSI's occupational hazards insurance must pay all treatment costs for a work injury, your full wage for the first 60 days off work, and then 75 per cent until you recover. Permanent total disability or death earns compensation of three years' wages, with a minimum of SAR 54,000. Most firms are covered by GOSI, and if yours is, GOSI's rules apply instead. Any claim must reach a labour court within 12 months of the job ending.
We read Chapter 3 of Part 8 of the Saudi Labour Law, Articles 132 to 141, in the English translation published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) on its website. We checked it on 10 November 2026. The file is the ministry's February 2023 version, so check later amendments on HRSD or Qiwa before you rely on a figure. Pakistani workers fill many of the kingdom's construction, transport and factory jobs, so these numbers matter.
First check whether GOSI covers your firm
Article 132 says this whole chapter does not apply to firms covered by the Occupational Hazards Branch of the Social Insurance Law. That branch is run by GOSI, the General Organization for Social Insurance. If your employer is registered with it, GOSI handles treatment and compensation under its own rules.
We could not read GOSI's own pages, which load only in a full browser, so we do not quote GOSI's benefit rates here. Ask your employer's HR, in writing, whether you are registered with GOSI. If you are registered, report the injury to GOSI. If you are not, the Labour Law rules below are your rights.
The employer pays every treatment cost
Article 133 makes the employer pay, directly or indirectly, for all necessary treatment after a work injury or occupational disease. The list is wide.
- Hospital stays.
- Medical examinations and tests.
- X rays and other radiology.
- Prosthetic devices, such as an artificial limb.
- Transport to and from treatment centres.
Article 135 says a relapse or complication from the injury counts as an injury too. So a second operation on the same knee is the employer's cost as well.
What counts as a work injury in Saudi Arabia
Article 134 says a work injury is defined by the Social Insurance Law. Occupational diseases count as work injuries, and the date of the first medical diagnosis is treated as the date of injury. Article 136 says the list of occupational diseases and the disability percentages come from schedules under the same Social Insurance Law.
For a disease that built up over years with several employers, Article 140 shares the compensation among the employers whose work caused it, in proportion to the time you spent with each.
Compensation amounts under the Saudi Labour Law
Articles 137 and 138 set the money. These figures apply where the employer is outside GOSI's occupational hazards branch.
| Situation | What you get | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary disability, first 60 days | Full wage | 137 |
| Temporary disability, after 60 days | 75 per cent of wage until treatment ends | 137 |
| Still unfit after one year, or recovery unlikely | Treated as total disability, contract ends, compensation paid | 137 |
| Permanent total disability | 3 years' wages, at least SAR 54,000 | 138 |
| Death from the injury | 3 years' wages to the heirs, at least SAR 54,000 | 138 |
| Permanent partial disability | Disability percentage times the total disability amount | 138 |
A simple example: a worker on SAR 2,000 a month would have a total disability figure of SAR 72,000 (36 months times 2,000). That is above the SAR 54,000 floor. A 20 per cent permanent disability would then be worth SAR 14,400. The employer cannot claw back the aid it paid during the first year.
Three cases where the employer does not pay
Article 139 lets the employer escape the treatment and compensation duties in three cases only. The employer has to prove them.
- You injured yourself on purpose.
- The injury came from your own intentional misconduct.
- You refused, without a valid reason, to see the doctor the employer named or to accept treatment.
The third case is the one to watch. Go to the employer's doctor when asked, and if you want a second opinion, get it as well rather than instead.
You keep a job if you can still work
Article 29 covers a worker whose injury reduces their usual ability but does not stop them doing other work. The employer must give that worker a suitable job, at the wage for that job. This does not cancel the injury compensation.
If the employer ends your contract instead, read our guide to Saudi contract termination and compensation. Sick days that are not work related follow different rules, covered in our Saudi sick leave guide.
Steps to claim after a Saudi work injury
Article 141 leaves the reporting procedure to a ministerial decision, which the law file does not include. These steps protect your claim either way.
- Get treatment first and keep every medical report, with dates.
- Tell your supervisor in writing the same day, and keep a copy or a photo.
- Ask HR whether you are registered with GOSI, and report the injury to GOSI if you are.
- Keep your salary slips. Compensation is worked out on your wage.
- If payment is refused, file a labour dispute. Our guide to Saudi friendly settlement explains the free first stage.
- Contact the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate in Jeddah for help. Our page of Pakistan Embassy Saudi Arabia numbers lists them.
Article 234 says a labour court will not hear a claim made more than 12 months after the job ends, unless the court accepts a reason for the delay or the employer admits the debt. Do not leave it until you are home. If a worker dies, the family in Pakistan can also seek help from the OPF, as in our guide to OPF aid for death or disability.
Common questions
How much is work injury compensation in Saudi Arabia?
Under the Labour Law, three years' wages for permanent total disability or death, with a minimum of SAR 54,000. Partial disability is paid as a percentage of that amount.
Does my Saudi employer pay my salary while I am injured?
Yes, where the Labour Law chapter applies: full wage for 60 days, then 75 per cent until treatment ends or one year passes.
Who pays if my firm is registered with GOSI?
GOSI's occupational hazards branch, under the Social Insurance Law. Article 132 says the Labour Law chapter on work injuries does not apply to those firms.
Is an occupational disease a work injury in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Article 134 treats occupational diseases as work injuries, dated from the first medical diagnosis.
Can my employer refuse compensation for a work injury?
Only if you hurt yourself on purpose, acted with intentional misconduct, or refused the employer's doctor or treatment without a valid reason.
How long do I have to claim work injury compensation in Saudi Arabia?
A labour court will not hear a claim made more than 12 months after the job ends, unless it accepts a reason for the delay.
Last checked 10 November 2026 against Articles 29, 132 to 141 and 234 of the Saudi Labour Law in HRSD's English translation (February 2023 file) on hrsd.gov.sa.
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.
