Expats can Switch Jobs in Saudi without Waiting for a year

Expatriates working in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to transfer Job from One Employer to another Employer without waiting for an year after their arrival in Saudi Arabia after fulfillment of certain conditions. This means that an Expat can now switch job from employer to another employer without waiting for one year after his arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development (MHR&SD) of Saudi Arabia has approved this amendment to the Saudi Labor Law, as earlier it was

considered as a violation as per the Nitaqat Saudization program for the private sector

Expats can Switch Jobs in Saudi Easily

The amended in Labor Law states that current employer consent is not necessary for the transfer & will not be considered as a violation.

Earlier, there was a provision in the Saudi labor law stating that an expat worker can transfer his services to another employer only after spending at least 1 year with the current employer from the date of his entry into the Kingdom.

Ministry also approved amendments to other two articles related to the transfer of service of expatriate workers.

First Amendment

Expat worker can transfer his services to any another employer without stipulating the specific period in the event of the approval of the current employer and within the provisions of the Nitaqat stimulus program for establishments to Saudize jobs.

Second Amendment

Expat worker has the right to transfer his services to another employer upon the expiry of the period of the documented work contract without the consent of the current employer

Third Amendment

With regard to the provisions of Article 77 of the Labor Law, the expatriate worker may transfer his service to another employer without requiring the approval of the current employer when conditions are met

The stipulated conditions are: the worker shall have spent 12 months with the current employer from the date of his entry into the Kingdom; the worker has to notify the current employer about the transfer within a period of no less than 90 days before the end of the contractual relationship, unless the two parties agree otherwise.

“This decision cancels all previous decisions inconsistent with it,” it was stated in the amendment.