Resignation and Notice Period in Saudi Labour Law (2025 Rules)

If you are an Indian (non-Saudi) worker, your contract is fixed-term by law, so you resign by submitting a resignation request. It counts as accepted if your employer does not reply within 30 days. The employer can delay acceptance by up to 60 days, but only with written reasons given within those first 30 days. The 30-day notice period you often hear about applies to open-ended (indefinite) contracts.

Last checked: November 2026.

These rules come from the Labour Law amendments in force since 19 February 2025 (Royal Decree M/44). Below: resigning, notice periods, Qiwa steps, Article 81, probation and your end of service benefit (ESB).

First: is your contract fixed-term or open-ended?

Article 37 of the Labour Law says a non-Saudi worker’s contract must be written and fixed-term. If no duration is written, it counts as one year from your start date, and it renews for the same period if you keep working.

So for most expats:

• Resignation rules (Article 79 bis) are the ones that apply.
• Notice rules (Article 75) apply to open-ended contracts. Check your contract in Qiwa (Employment Contracts) to see its type and end date.

Before February 2025, the notice for an open-ended contract with a monthly salary was 60 days for both sides. If you see “60 days’ notice for workers” on older websites, that rule is out of date.

How resignation works on a fixed-term contract

Under the new Article 79 bis:

1. You submit a written resignation, with no conditions attached.
2. Do not put a future date in it. The law says a resignation request cannot carry a deferred date.
3. Keep working. Your contract stays in force while the request is pending, and both sides must keep all their duties (you work, they pay).
4. Your employer has 30 days to reply. If they say nothing, the resignation is treated as accepted after 30 days.
5. They can postpone acceptance by up to 60 days if work needs it. They must give you the reasons in writing, and they must do it before the 30 days run out. The 60 days count from the day you receive that written reason.
6. You can withdraw your resignation within 7 days of submitting it, unless the employer has already accepted it.
7. The contract ends when the employer accepts, or when the 30 days pass with no reply, or when the postponement period ends.

A worker whose contract ends by resignation keeps all rights under the Labour Law. Your employer must settle your dues within two weeks when you are the one who ended the contract (Article 88).

How to resign on Qiwa

HRSD runs a free online service called Termination of Contractual Relationship that lets an employee end the contract on Qiwa without visiting the employer. It launched on 16 April 2025. HRSD lists these steps:

1. Log in to Qiwa Individuals (see our Qiwa login with Nafath guide).
2. Go to Services and choose Employment Contracts.
3. Find your contract and click Terminate Contract.
4. Choose the reason that fits your case (for example resignation, or Article 81), then Next.
5. Enter your Last Working Date, then Next.
6. Review and click Submit Termination Request.

Conditions HRSD lists: you must have a valid contract on Qiwa, and there must be no other termination request pending on the same contract. HRSD’s user guide (August 2026) adds that a non-Saudi worker’s work permit must be valid for at least 60 days, and that the notice period applies when the chosen reason requires it.

Tip: also give HR a signed letter or email on the same day and keep a copy. Screenshot the Qiwa request. If there is ever a dispute, you can prove the date.

For screenshots and the full list of reasons you can pick, see Terminate Qiwa Contract.

Notice period when you change jobs (transfer)

Resigning and transferring to a new employer are different things. Under HRSD’s Labour Reform Initiative (in force since 14 March 2021):

• Contract ended: you can move to a new employer without your current employer’s consent.
• Contract still running: you can move without consent once you have spent 12 months in Saudi Arabia with your current employer, and you serve a 90-day notice period. HRSD said at launch that any penalty clause in your contract still applies, as long as it does not break the Labour Law.

The new employer starts the transfer by sending you an offer on Qiwa. Full rules and exceptions are in our job transfer rules guide.

Leaving without notice: Article 81

Article 81 lets you leave work without notice and keep all your legal rights (including full ESB) if:

• the employer does not meet essential duties under the contract or the law (for example, unpaid salary);
• the employer or their representative cheated you about the job terms when you signed;
• you are given work that is fundamentally different from what you agreed, without your consent;
• the employer, a family member of theirs, or a manager assaults you or a family member, or acts against public morals towards you;
• you are treated harshly, unjustly or in a humiliating way;
• there is a danger at work to your safety or health that the employer knew about and did not fix;
• the employer’s unfair treatment or contract breaches pushed you to look like the one who ended the contract.

Keep proof: bank statements showing missing salary, messages, photos, witness names. Article 81 is a claim you may have to prove before the labour courts. For unpaid wages, start with our salary delay complaint guide.

Resigning during probation

• Probation must be written in the contract and can be at most 180 days in total (Article 53).
• Either side can end the contract during probation. Nobody owes compensation, and no ESB is due for that period (Article 54).
• You cannot be put on probation twice by the same employer, unless it is a different job, or at least 6 months have passed since the first job ended, and you agree in writing.

What resigning does to your end of service benefit

You get the full award instead if you leave because of force majeure, or if you are a woman ending the contract within 6 months of your marriage contract or 3 months of giving birth (Article 87). Leaving under Article 81 also keeps your full rights.

Work out your exact amount with our ESB calculator.

Common problems and fixes

FAQs

What is the notice period in Saudi Arabia in 2026?

For an open-ended contract with a monthly salary: at least 30 days from the worker and 60 days from the employer. Expat contracts are fixed-term, so expats usually follow the resignation request rules instead (30 days for the employer to respond, up to 60 days’ postponement).

What if I leave before my notice period ends?

On an open-ended contract, the side that skips the notice must pay the other side the wage for the notice period, unless you both agree otherwise (Article 76).

Can my employer refuse my resignation?

Not forever. If they do not respond within 30 days, it counts as accepted. They can only delay it, by up to 60 days, with written reasons.

Do I lose my ESB if I resign?

Only if you have less than 2 years of service. After that you get one-third, two-thirds or the full award depending on your years.

Do I get a service (experience) certificate when I resign?

Yes. Article 64 says the employer must give you a free service certificate on request. You can also download one from Qiwa: see our GOSI and Qiwa salary certificate guide.

Sources: HRSD – Labor Relations (Labour Law Articles 50 to 88); HRSD – Amendments to Labor Law Articles (PDF); HRSD – Employment of Non-Saudis (Article 37); HRSD – Termination of Contractual Relationship service and its user guide (PDF); HRSD – Awareness guide on rights and duties (PDF); HRSD – Labor Reform Initiative announcement; Argaam – HRSD answers on the Labor Reform Initiative (Arabic). This is general information, not legal advice.