Saudi Annual Leave Entitlement 2026: 21 Days, 30 Days and Carry-Over Rules

Updated 6 October 2026. Saudi Labor Law sets a minimum annual leave entitlement for covered workers. The headline rule is simple, but the timing, carry-over and unused-leave treatment matter just as much as the number of days.

How many annual leave days are employees entitled to in Saudi Arabia?

Article 109 of the Saudi Labor Law provides a minimum of 21 days of paid annual leave for each year. The entitlement increases to at least 30 days when the worker has completed five consecutive years of service with the same employer.

Does the employer decide when annual leave is taken?

The employer may schedule annual leave according to work requirements or rotate leave between workers to maintain operations. HRSD’s current text states that the worker must be notified of the scheduled leave date with sufficient notice of at least 30 days.

Can annual leave be carried forward?

Article 110 allows an employee, with the employer’s approval, to postpone annual leave or part of it to the following year. The employer may also postpone leave for work reasons for up to 90 days after the end of the year in which it became due. Longer postponement requires the employee’s written consent, subject to the legal limits.

Can an employee take cash instead of annual leave while still employed?

The law states that the employee should take annual leave in the year it is due and may not simply waive it or receive cash instead while employment continues. The position is different when employment ends: HRSD guidance states that the worker is entitled to payment for unused vacation days when leaving employment before taking them, as well as proportional vacation pay for part of a year worked.

What about Saudi public holidays?

Public holidays are separate from normal annual leave. HRSD guidance identifies Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, Saudi National Day and Founding Day leave entitlements. Where an official holiday overlaps annual leave, the applicable implementing rules can affect how the leave period is treated.

Quick examples

• An employee with two completed years of service: minimum annual leave is generally 21 days per year.
• An employee who has completed five consecutive years with the same employer: minimum annual leave increases to 30 days.
• An employee leaving part-way through a service year may have a proportional unused-leave entitlement, subject to the employment record and applicable rules.

Official Saudi source

Check the current wording on the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development working conditions page, especially Articles 109 and 110. HRSD also publishes an employee rights and duties awareness guide covering annual leave and official holidays.

Related Saudi employment reading

Read our guide to Saudi end-of-service benefits and visit the Saudi tools page.