In brief: Article 75 applies to indefinite contracts. For monthly-paid workers, employee-initiated termination requires at least 30 days’ written notice and employer-initiated termination requires at least 60 days. Where pay is not monthly, either party gives at least 30 days. Fixed-term contracts need a different analysis: do not apply Article 75 as a default notice rule.
Last checked: 6 September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Check the contract type first
Read the documented employment contract in full. Identify whether it is fixed-term or indefinite, how wages are paid, who is ending it, the stated reason, and any contractual notice or compensation clause. These facts change the route.
Non-Saudi employment contracts are governed by the specific rule in Article 37: they must be written and fixed-term, with a statutory treatment where no duration is stated. This makes it especially important for a British expatriate not to assume that the indefinite-contract notice table automatically applies.
Indefinite contracts
Under the current Article 75, termination must be for a legitimate reason stated in written notice. The minimum periods are:
- Monthly pay, employee initiates: at least 30 days.
- Monthly pay, employer initiates: at least 60 days.
- Pay is not monthly, either party initiates: at least 30 days.
A contract may provide a longer period. Keep the notice, proof of delivery and the employer’s response. Do not rely only on a verbal conversation or an unrecorded message.
Fixed-term contracts and resignation
A fixed-term contract normally ends when its agreed term expires, subject to the renewal rules and the specific provisions for non-Saudi workers. Ending it before expiry is not automatically governed by Article 75. Check the termination and compensation wording in the contract and the Labour Law.
The amended law also defines resignation as a worker’s written request to terminate a fixed-term contract without condition, accepted by the employer. Article 79 bis sets a process for response, possible postponement and withdrawal. A resignation request and a notice under Article 75 are therefore not interchangeable. Use the correct documented route in Qiwa or the employer’s official process and obtain confirmation of the effective termination date.
What happens if notice is not observed
Article 76 says that where a party ending an indefinite contract does not observe Article 75’s notice period, that party must pay the other an amount equal to the worker’s wage for the same notice period, unless the parties agree otherwise. This is separate from Article 77, which concerns compensation for termination for an illegitimate reason where the contract does not specify compensation.
Do not describe Article 77 as permission for an employer simply to dismiss without notice. Notice, reason, compensation and the exceptional grounds for ending without notice are distinct questions.
Probation and exceptional termination
If probation is expressly included in the contract, Article 53 permits either party to terminate during that period. Do not add a one-day notice rule unless it is actually in the contract or an applicable provision.
Article 80 lists limited situations in which an employer may terminate without award, notice or compensation, subject to the worker being allowed to state objections. Article 81 lists situations in which a worker may leave without notice while retaining statutory rights. These articles depend heavily on evidence. Do not label conduct as falling within either article without careful review.
Practical steps before giving notice
- Download the current Qiwa contract and relevant policies.
- Check the term, renewal, pay frequency and notice clause.
- Write a clear, dated notice or resignation request using the correct process.
- Save proof of submission and any acceptance or postponement.
- Continue contractual duties until the confirmed end date unless a valid written arrangement says otherwise.
- Ask for the service certificate, returned documents, final pay calculation and immigration steps.
When to get help
Use HRSD’s labour channels or amicable settlement if the contract type, effective date, pay in lieu or reason for termination is disputed. Obtain qualified Saudi legal advice before relying on Articles 80 or 81, leaving a fixed-term contract early, or accepting a settlement that waives claims. Immigration and employment termination should also be coordinated, as ending the job does not by itself complete residence or transfer formalities.