The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment has outlined employment rules and legal protections for foreign workers in Saudi Arabia, including circumstances in which employees may be entitled to leave their jobs without serving the standard notice period.
According to the bureau, an employment contract in Saudi Arabia may end when its agreed term expires, the employer permanently shuts down business operations, or disciplinary grounds arise, including fraud, physical assault, disclosure of confidential information or persistent refusal to perform assigned duties.
The bureau said that if an employer or sponsor terminates a worker’s employment without a valid legal reason, the employee may be entitled to compensation.
Under the information issued by the bureau, employees receiving monthly salaries are generally required to provide 60 days’ notice before terminating their employment, while a 30-day notice period applies to other workers.
However, workers may be entitled to leave their employment immediately under certain circumstances while retaining their legal rights, including compensation and other end-of-service benefits.
These circumstances may include the employer or sponsor failing to pay wages, assigning duties that differ from those agreed upon in the employment contract, creating conditions that threaten the worker’s dignity or safety, or exposing the employee to circumstances that could cause physical or emotional harm.
The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment has urged Pakistani citizens working in Saudi Arabia to remain aware of the terms of their employment contracts and understand their legal rights and protections.
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