# Employee Onboarding in Saudi Arabia: The First 90 Days
*An employer's guide to running the probation period and integrating new talent*

> **In short:** Build a professional onboarding plan for new hires in Saudi Arabia: probation rules, GOSI deadlines, first-payroll timing and a 30-60-90 day plan.

- **URL:** https://www.snad.io/en/blog/employee-onboarding-strategy-saudi-labor-law
- **Arabic original:** https://www.snad.io/blog/employee-onboarding-strategy-saudi-labor-law
- **Category:** Guides — Human Resources
- **Tags:** human resources, employee onboarding, recruitment, workforce management, labor law
- **Published:** 2026-01-02
- **Updated:** 2026-08-02
- **Publisher:** Snad (snad.io)

A new employee forms their impression of your company in the first 90 days — and that impression decides whether they stay for years or leave within months.

Onboarding is not an administrative luxury. It is a direct investment in retaining the people you worked hard to hire.

## Why the first 90 days are the riskiest in an employee's tenure

In a fast-moving labor market, attracting talent is both difficult and expensive. The uncomfortable part is that a large share of employees decide whether to stay or go based on their experience in the first two weeks. Onboarding is not a tour of the office; it is a strategic investment in an employee's commitment and productivity. Under the Saudi Labor Law, the probation period (often 90 days) is a chance for both sides to evaluate the fit — which is exactly why a clear, documented plan matters.

## Day one: from confusion to belonging

Successful onboarding begins before the employee arrives. In companies that run on Snad, the digital employee file is prepared in advance. On day one the new hire should find a desk that is ready, an active email account, and an induction guide to company policy. Instead of spending that first day filling in paper forms, the employee uploads their documents — national ID, certificates, employment contract — straight into the Snad HR system. The message lands immediately: this company is organized and takes technology seriously.

## Automating employee files and staying compliant

HR administration demands precision when dealing with platforms such as Qiwa, Mudad and the General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI). Snad helps you keep that data in order: archive attested contracts and receive alerts before official documents expire. When employees see that their administrative entitlements — leave, salaries — are handled through a professional, transparent system, their confidence in the company grows and they spend their attention on the job itself.

## The 30-60-90 day plan for managing performance

Do not leave a new hire to "discover" the job by accident. Use the tasks module in Snad to assign staged objectives: 
1. **First 30 days (learning):** tasks focused on understanding how the business works, meeting clients, and attending training.
2. **60 days (participation):** taking on small projects under supervision.
3. **90 days (independence):** assessing whether the employee can deliver on their own, so you can decide on confirmation. 
Documenting these tasks in Snad gives the manager objective data at the end of the probation period, instead of relying on personal impressions.

## Company culture and social integration

Onboarding is not only technical; it is social. Encourage the new employee to use the shared calendar in Snad so they can see recurring meetings and internal events. Connecting the employee to the company's bigger picture and involving them in team tasks shortens the learning curve and gets them delivering real value in record time.

## The probation period after the Labor Law amendments: what belongs in the contract

Drafting the probation clause is the first test of onboarding quality. Article 53 of the Labor Law — in the version published on the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development website — requires that probation be stated explicitly in the employment contract with its duration clearly defined, provided that the total period does not in any case exceed (one hundred and eighty) days, and the implementing regulation specifies the types of leave that are excluded from the calculation of that period.

Either party may terminate the contract during this period. Article 54 prohibits placing a worker on probation more than once with the same employer, except by written agreement and provided that the probation is in a different occupation or a different job, or that at least six months have passed since the previous relationship ended.

| Clause | What the law provides |
|---|---|
| Establishing probation | It must be stated explicitly in the contract, with its duration clearly defined |
| Maximum | The total period may not exceed 180 days in any case |
| Termination during probation | A right available to either party within the period |
| Compensation | Neither party is entitled to compensation for termination during the period |
| End-of-service gratuity | Not due to the worker if the contract is terminated during probation |
| Repeating probation | Not permitted with the same employer except under the conditions of Article 54 |

Source: the Labor Law published on hrsd.gov.sa — accessed 1 August 2026.

## Statutory deadlines are not managed from memory

Article 51 requires the employment contract to be written in two copies, one kept by each party, and attested in line with the relevant statutory provisions. Social insurance, for its part, comes with an explicit timetable — and lateness there shows up in an inspection, not in a performance review.

| Obligation | Statutory deadline |
|---|---|
| Notification that a new worker has joined | Within (15) days of the month following the month of joining |
| Submitting worker data for the first month for which contributions are due | Within the first (15) days of the following month |
| Paying monthly contributions | Within the fifteen days following the month in which they fall due |
| Notification that a worker has left | Within (15) days of the month following the month of departure |

Source: the employers' frequently asked questions page of the General Organisation for Social Insurance — accessed 1 August 2026.

Tie these deadlines to automatic reminders inside your [HR system](/hr), not to the memory of one person in the back office. And lock the employee's bank details before you close the first payroll run; correcting an IBAN after the run delays the first salary, and there is no worse way for a new hire to start.

## The real cost of a new hire: salary is not the whole number

Before you approve the job offer, work out the full monthly cost. Social insurance contributions are calculated on basic wage plus housing allowance, with a minimum of SAR 1,500 in the pensions branch and a maximum contributory wage of SAR 45,000.

| Branch | Rate | Who pays | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensions | 18% | 9% employer + 9% contributor | Saudi nationals |
| Occupational hazards | 2% | Employer in full | All workers, regardless of nationality |
| Unemployment insurance (SANED) | 1.5% | 0.75% employer + 0.75% contributor | Saudi nationals |

Sources: the employers' questions page at the General Organisation for Social Insurance, and the announcement reducing the SANED contribution to 1.5% effective 1 January 2022 — accessed 1 August 2026.

For people entering the labor market after the new social insurance law took effect, the authority's awareness platform explains that the pensions contribution rises gradually by 0.5% a year starting from the second year, until it reaches 11% on each of the employer and the contributor. Run the number before signing with the [GOSI calculator](/tools/hr/gosi-calculator), then fix it in [payroll](/payroll) from the first month.

## The evidence file that comes before the confirmation decision

A decision to confirm — or not to confirm — should rest on a written file, not on a manager's impression. The minimum to keep during the probation period:

- The probation clause in the signed contract, with a clear start and end date.
- Written objectives handed to the employee in their first week.
- At least two documented reviews before the period ends, each dated and signed.
- A training and handover log: what they were trained on, who handed it over, and when.
- Any written agreement on an extension within the limit permitted by Article 53.

Schedule one of the two reviews at the midpoint, not at the end. A late review leaves the employee no time to correct course and leaves the company no option other than termination. Each review should cover three things: what was delivered, what slipped, and what is expected before the next checkpoint.

This file serves both sides. It shows the assessment was made on professional grounds, and it narrows the ground for dispute at termination. More importantly, it turns the end of probation into a decision made on a fixed date, rather than a period that quietly expires without anyone noticing.

## Handing over assets and access rights on day one

Much of the confusion in the first few days comes down to assets that were never handed over and access that was never granted. Adopt a single handover checklist: laptop, phone, access badge, uniform, and vehicle where applicable. Record every item against the employee's name with its serial number in the [inventory and assets system](/inventory), signed electronically.

Grant access on a least-privilege basis: only what the first month's tasks require, then widen it as responsibility grows. Document who granted each permission and when, and review the list at the end of probation whether it ends in confirmation or termination. The benefit runs both ways. You save a full working day on every hire, and if termination does happen during probation the exit is clean and quick, with no chasing of devices or open accounts.

### Mistakes that keep recurring in small companies

- A contract with no explicit probation clause, then relying on one at termination.
- A verbal assessment with no record, so a disagreement turns into competing claims.
- Notifying social insurance of a new hire after the statutory window has closed.
- Putting an employee the company has already tried on a fresh probation period in the same job.
- Confusing the probation end date with the contract end date, then discovering the period lapsed without a decision.
- Handing an employee critical tasks in their first week with no documented training, then holding the resulting error against them at review.
- Building onboarding around one person in the back office; when they are away, procedures stall and registrations slip.

## The 1446 Labor Law amendments: what changed in the hiring file

Royal Decree No. (M/44) dated 1446/2/8 AH approved amendments to a number of Labor Law articles, effective from 1446/8/20 AH. Four of them bear directly on new hires and call for a review of your contract template and onboarding checklist.

| Article | What the amendment provides | Effect on onboarding |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Added employer duties: to refrain from anything that nullifies or weakens equal opportunity or equal treatment in employment and occupation on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, marital status or any other form of discrimination; and to provide suitable housing and appropriate transport, with the option to substitute a suitable cash allowance for either, paid together with the wage | Screening criteria, and the housing and transport terms in the job offer |
| 37 | A non-Saudi's contract must be written and for a fixed term; if it does not state a term it is deemed to run for (one year) from the actual start of work, and if work continues beyond that it is deemed renewed for a like period | Drafting non-Saudi contracts and their renewal dates |
| 42 | Every employer must put in place a policy for training and qualifying its Saudi workers | A written training plan instead of individual improvisation |
| 79 bis | An added article regulating the submission, acceptance and withdrawal of a resignation | A written procedure instead of a verbal understanding |

Source: the Labor Law and its amendments on the Saudi laws portal `laws.boe.gov.sa` — accessed 2 August 2026.

## Entitlements that apply from day one, not from the end of probation

Many early disputes start from the assumption that an employee's entitlements begin only after confirmation. The law makes no such distinction; the provisions below apply from the first day of work.

| Item | What the law provides | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Working hours | No more than eight hours a day or forty-eight hours a week, reduced during Ramadan for Muslims to six hours a day or thirty-six a week | 98 |
| Rest during the day | A worker may not work more than five consecutive hours without a break of no less than half an hour, and may not remain at the workplace more than twelve hours | 101 |
| Weekly rest | Friday on full pay, no less than twenty-four consecutive hours, and it may not be replaced by a cash payment | 104 |
| Annual leave | No less than twenty-one days for each year, rising to thirty days after five consecutive years, paid in advance | 109 |
| Notice of the leave date | The employer must notify the worker of the date sufficiently in advance, no less than thirty days | 109 |
| Unused balance | The worker is entitled to pay for accrued leave days if they leave before taking them, and for parts of a year in proportion to the time served | 111 |

Calculate the balance from the start date, not from the beginning of the financial year, using the [annual leave balance calculator](/tools/hr/annual-leave-calculator). Source: the Labor Law — `laws.boe.gov.sa`, accessed 2 August 2026.

## The first payslip: the statutory rule comes before the accounting step

Article 90 — as amended by Royal Decree No. (M/46) — ties pay frequency to the type of wage, not to company policy. Workers on monthly wages are paid once a month; workers paid daily are paid at least once a week; and in cases other than those mentioned, at least once a week. For piece work that takes more than two weeks, the worker receives a payment each week proportionate to what has been completed, and the remaining balance is paid in full within the week following delivery of the work.

The second paragraph of the same article obliges companies to pay wages into workers' accounts through banks approved in the Kingdom, without exceeding the due dates above.

The practical consequence: classifying an employee as monthly, daily or piece-rate is not a cosmetic field, it determines when their pay falls due. Fix the classification in the contract and in [payroll](/payroll) before the first pay run; changing it later is a recalculation, not a data edit.

## The non-Saudi employee: what must be done before the start date

- **Work permit (Article 33):** a non-Saudi may not practice work, nor be permitted to practice it, without first obtaining a work permit from the Ministry. Its conditions include having entered the country lawfully and being authorized to work, and being contracted with and under the responsibility of an employer. No permit or license from any other body substitutes for it (Article 34).
- **Matching the occupation (Article 38):** a worker may not be employed in an occupation other than the one stated in their work permit, and the worker is prohibited from working in another occupation before the procedures to change it have been completed.
- **Restriction to one employer (Article 39, as amended):** an employer may not let its worker work for others or on the worker's own account, nor employ another employer's worker, without following the statutory procedures.
- **Fees (Article 40, as amended):** the employer bears the recruitment fees, the residence permit and work permit fees and their renewal, any fines resulting from a delay it causes, the fees for changing the occupation, exit and re-entry, and the worker's return ticket home after the relationship ends.

The job title written in the offer must match the occupation on the permit; a mismatch puts the employee in violation from their first day, not from the first inspection.

## Training is a written obligation, not a goodwill gesture

Following the 1446 amendments, every employer must put in place a policy for training and qualifying its Saudi workers to raise their skills in technical, administrative, professional and other work, with the implementing regulation setting out the related provisions (Article 42).

As for programme content, Article 44 — as amended — requires it to cover the skill the worker is being trained in, the rules and conditions applied, the duration and number of hours, the theoretical and practical programmes, the method of examination, and the certificates awarded.

Where the appointment is under a qualification or training contract, Article 46 requires it to be in writing and to specify the type of occupation, the amount of the allowance at each stage — which may not be set on a piece-rate or output basis — the rights and duties of both parties, and whether the training takes place with the employer or at another establishment.

Translated into the first thirty days: defined hours, an output for each training unit, and a written method of examination — not the phrase "training on the job".

### After confirmation: the rules on notice and resignation

The end of probation changes the rules for leaving. In an indefinite-term contract where the wage is paid monthly, termination by the worker requires written notice at least (thirty) days in advance, and termination by the employer at least (sixty) days in advance. If the wage is not paid monthly, the period is (thirty) days on whichever party is terminating (Article 75, as amended).

The decree also added Article (79 bis): a resignation request is deemed accepted if (thirty) days pass from its submission without a response from the employer. The employer may defer acceptance for a period of no more than (sixty) days where the interests of the business require it, on the basis of a written, reasoned explanation given to the worker before the thirty days expire. The worker may withdraw the request within (seven) days of submitting it unless it has been accepted beforehand, no deferred resignation date is valid, and the contract remains in force throughout the period.

Where the notice comes from the employer, the worker may be absent for one full day a week or eight hours to search for other work while still earning their wage, provided the employer is notified at least the day before (Article 78).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can the probation period be extended under the Saudi Labor Law?

Yes. It can be extended by written agreement between the two parties, provided the total does not exceed 180 days.

### How does Snad simplify paying a new employee?

Through the HR system, the employee is added to the payroll and linked to the Wage Protection System (Mudad), so their entitlements are paid accurately from the first month.

### Is the probation period still capped at ninety days?

The text of Article 53 published on the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development website requires probation to be stated explicitly in the contract with its duration clearly defined, provided that the total period does not in any case exceed (one hundred and eighty) days. In other words, what the law requires is that the duration be written into the contract and that the total not exceed that limit, and the implementing regulation specifies the types of leave excluded from the calculation. (Accessed 1 August 2026)

### Can an employee be placed on a second probation period at the same company?

A worker may not be placed on probation more than once with the same employer, under Article 54 of the Labor Law. The exception — by written agreement between the parties to the contract — is where the probation is in a different occupation or a different job, or where at least six months have passed since the worker's relationship with the employer ended.

### Is an employee entitled to end-of-service gratuity if the contract is terminated during probation?

No. Article 54 provides that if the contract is terminated during the probation period, neither party is entitled to compensation, and the worker is not entitled to end-of-service gratuity for that period. That is one more reason to document the probation duration and its end date precisely in the employee file.

### When must social insurance be notified that a new employee has joined?

According to the employers' frequently asked questions page of the General Organisation for Social Insurance, notification that any new worker has joined is submitted through the website within (15) days of the month following the month of joining, and notification that a worker has left the job within (15) days of the month following the month of departure. Contributions are paid within the fifteen days following the month in which they fall due. (Accessed 1 August 2026)

### Which wage are social insurance contributions calculated on for a new employee?

Contributions are calculated on the basic wage plus the housing allowance. The minimum contributory wage in the pensions branch is SAR 1,500; in the occupational hazards branch for those not subject to the pensions branch it is SAR 400; and the maximum contributory wage is SAR 45,000 — according to the employers' questions page at the General Organisation for Social Insurance (accessed 1 August 2026).

### What are the social insurance contribution rates for a new Saudi employee?

The pensions branch is 18% of the contributory wage, with the employer paying 9% and the contributor 9%, and it applies to Saudi nationals. The occupational hazards branch is 2%, borne in full by the employer, and applies to all workers regardless of nationality. Unemployment insurance (SANED) is 1.5%, split equally (0.75% for each party), effective 1 January 2022. For people entering the labor market after the new social insurance law took effect, the authority's awareness platform explains that the pensions contribution rises gradually by 0.5% a year from the second year until it reaches 11% on each of the two parties.

### When does annual leave start accruing for a new employee?

From the start date, not from the confirmation date. Article 109 provides that the worker is entitled, for each year, to annual leave of no less than twenty-one days, rising to no less than thirty days if they have spent five consecutive years in the employer's service, and that the leave is paid in advance. Article 111 establishes the worker's right to pay for accrued leave days if they leave before taking them, and to leave pay for parts of a year in proportion to the time served. (The Labor Law on laws.boe.gov.sa — accessed 2 August 2026)

### How much notice is required once the probation period has ended?

Following the amendment of Article 75 by Royal Decree No. (M/44) dated 1446/2/8 AH: if the contract is of indefinite term and the wage is paid monthly, a worker wishing to terminate must give written notice at least (thirty) days in advance, and the employer must give written notice at least (sixty) days in advance. If the wage is not paid monthly, the period is (thirty) days on whichever party will terminate the contract. These amendments take effect from 1446/8/20 AH. (Accessed 2 August 2026)

### What happens if an employee resigns and the employer does not respond?

Royal Decree No. (M/44) added Article (79 bis), which provides that a resignation request is deemed accepted if (thirty) days pass from its submission without a response from the employer. The employer may defer acceptance of the request for a period of no more than (sixty) days where the interests of the business so require, on the basis of a written, reasoned explanation given to the worker before the thirty-day period expires. The worker may withdraw the request within (seven) days of the date of submission unless the employer accepts it before the withdrawal; no deferred resignation date is valid; and the contract is deemed in force throughout the period with all its obligations.

### Can a new employee work in an occupation other than the one on their work permit?

No. Article 38 of the Labor Law provides that an employer may not employ a worker in an occupation other than the one stated in their work permit, and the worker is prohibited from working outside that occupation before the statutory procedures to change it have been completed. Article 33 also requires a non-Saudi to obtain a work permit from the Ministry before practicing any work, and no permit or license required by any other body substitutes for it (Article 34). The title in the job offer must therefore match the occupation registered on the permit.

### Who bears the residence permit and work permit fees for a new non-Saudi employee?

Under paragraph (1) of Article 40 as amended by Royal Decree No. (M/44): the employer bears the fees for recruiting the non-Saudi worker, the residence permit and work permit fees and their renewal, any fines resulting from a delay caused by the employer, the fees for changing the occupation, exit and re-entry, and the worker's return ticket home after the relationship between the two parties ends. These items belong in the cost of hiring from the outset, not as later expenses.

### Is a verbal training plan enough for a new employee?

The law is moving toward documentation. Article 42 — as amended by Royal Decree No. (M/44) — requires every employer to put in place a policy for training and qualifying its Saudi workers, with the implementing regulation setting out the related provisions. Article 44 requires the training programme to cover the skill the worker is being trained in, the rules and conditions applied in the training, the duration and number of hours, the theoretical and practical training programmes, the method of examination, and the certificates awarded. Where a qualification or training contract exists, Article 46 requires it to be in writing and to specify the type of occupation, the amount of the allowance at each stage, and the rights of both parties.

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