Saudi Labour Law Article 53: probation of up to 180 days
Amended in the 2025 changes
Article 53 of the Saudi Labour Law, as amended in 2025, allows probation only if the employment contract states it expressly with a clear length, and the total may not exceed 180 days. The Implementing Regulations set which leave days are not counted, and either party may end the contract during probation.
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
What Article 53 says
- Probation must be written into the contract. If the worker is on probation, the contract must say so expressly and state its length clearly.
- The total may not exceed 180 days. This ceiling applies to the whole probation period, however it is set.
- Some leave does not count. The Implementing Regulations set which leave days are left out when the period is counted.
- Either side may end the contract during probation.
What changed in 2025
| Before 19 February 2025 | Since 19 February 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Up to 90 days | Up to 180 days, stated in the contract |
| Extension | To 180 days by separate written agreement | No separate extension step; 180 days is the overall ceiling |
| Days not counted | Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays and sick leave, named in the article | Left to the Implementing Regulations |
| Who may end it | Both, unless the contract gave the right to one side only | Both parties |
Worked example
A worker starts on 1 March 2026 under a contract with a 180-day probation.
- March has 31 days, April 30, May 31, June 30 and July 31: that is 153 days to 31 July.
- 180 − 153 = 27, so probation ends on 27 August 2026 if no days are excluded.
- If the worker takes 4 days of a leave type the Regulations exclude, the end date moves 4 days, to 31 August 2026.
What HR should do
- State probation and its length in days in the contract, and make sure Qiwa shows the same.
- Track leave taken during probation and recalculate the end date using the Regulations.
- Remind the manager well before the end date to confirm or end the employment, and record the decision in writing.
- If the contract ends during probation, pay the wages due and keep a record of the date and who ended it.
This page is a general explanation, not legal advice.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is probation in Saudi Arabia now 180 days?
Up to 180 days, not automatically 180. The contract must state the length, and it can be shorter. Before 2025, the limit was 90 days, which could be extended to 180 by a separate written agreement; now the contract itself can set any length up to 180 days.
Is a worker owed an end-of-service award if the contract ends during probation?
No. Under Article 54, when the contract ends during probation neither party owes the other compensation and the worker is not entitled to an end-of-service award. Wages for the days actually worked are still due.
Can the same employer put a worker on probation twice?
Only by written agreement, and only for a different profession or job or after at least six months have passed since the earlier employment ended (Article 54).
