First confirm which employment framework applies
Articles 109 to 111 of the Saudi Labour Law govern the annual-leave rules described here for covered workers. A contract, collective arrangement or employer policy may give a worker more leave, but it should not reduce a statutory minimum that applies to that worker. Keep the Arabic contract and any approved work regulations because the applicable documents may resolve a disagreement about an enhanced benefit.
Domestic workers and some other excluded categories operate under separate legal frameworks, so they should not assume that every calculation below applies in the same way. A person who is unsure should identify the type of employment relationship and use the official service designed for it before relying on a general private-sector guide.
The 21-day and 30-day minimums
Article 109 provides annual leave of not less than 21 days for each year. When the worker completes five consecutive years of service with the same employer, the minimum increases to not less than 30 days. The wording sets a floor: an employment contract can provide a larger allowance.
Leave is paid, and the Labour Law states that the pay is provided in advance. The worker should normally take the leave during the year in which it becomes due. During continuing service, the statutory leave cannot simply be waived or exchanged for cash. This is different from the settlement rule that applies when the employment relationship ends.
Who chooses the dates and how much notice is required
The employer may schedule annual leave according to work requirements or rotate leave among workers to keep operations running. It must notify the worker of the scheduled leave with sufficient notice of at least 30 days. A request submitted by a worker is therefore not automatically approved merely because enough leave has accrued.
Submit requests through the employer’s recognized HR channel and keep the confirmation. If travel is involved, avoid a non-refundable booking until the leave is approved. If the employer changes an approved date, preserve the original approval, the change notice and evidence of any loss before asking HR to explain the contractual or policy basis.
Carry-over and employer postponement are not the same
Under Article 110, a worker may postpone annual leave, or part of it, to the following year with the employer’s approval. Record that approval in writing and confirm the number of carried days so the balance cannot later be mistaken for an absence or an expired request.
Separately, an employer may postpone leave after the end of the year in which it became due when work circumstances require it, but only for up to 90 days. If operational circumstances require a longer postponement, the worker’s written consent is required, and the postponement cannot extend beyond the end of the year following the year of entitlement.
How to audit the balance without guessing
Start with the opening balance, add the entitlement credited under the contract or policy, subtract leave actually taken and identify any days carried forward with approval. Check whether the employer records leave in calendar days or another unit under the applicable policy, and do not convert the balance yourself without confirming the recorded method.
For the five-year threshold, verify continuous service with the same employer rather than assuming total Saudi work experience counts. If a corporate restructuring, legal successor or transfer creates uncertainty, ask for the service date used in the HR system and obtain advice before treating an amount as definitely due.
When employment ends
Article 111 provides wages for accrued leave days not taken when the worker leaves employment. It also provides a proportional leave entitlement for the fraction of a year worked. Ask the employer for a final-settlement line showing the balance, the wage basis, the daily calculation and any leave already taken or paid.
Do not sign a settlement described as full and final if the leave line is missing or cannot be reconciled. Preserve the employment contract, Qiwa contract record, payslips, approved leave, rejected requests and termination notice. A different balance is not by itself proof of wrongdoing; first ask for the calculation and compare the service dates and recorded usage.
Where to take a disagreement
Use Qiwa to review the employment relationship and contract records available there, but do not describe Qiwa as the forum that decides every wage dispute. HRSD’s Friendly Settlement for Labour Disputes is the official first-stage route for professional labour claims. Its purpose is to receive and examine a claim and attempt a settlement before an unresolved dispute proceeds to the labour court process.
Deadlines and evidence can matter. Submit through the current HRSD service, keep the claim number and attend notified sessions. This article explains the general statutory framework; it cannot calculate a binding entitlement where service history, contract terms, exclusions or the wage basis are disputed.