Article 8 of the Saudi Child Protection Law

المادة 8 من نظام حماية الطفل · الفصل الثالث: المحظورات المتصلة بحماية الطفل

The article prohibits employing a child before the age of fifteen, assigning a child work that harms safety or health, and using a child in military work or armed conflicts.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

دون الإخلال بما ورد في نظام العمل، يُحظر تشغيل الطفل قبل بلوغه سن الخامسة عشرة، كما يحظر تكليفه بأعمال قد تضر بسلامته أو بصحته البدنية أو النفسية، أو استخدامه في الأعمال العسكرية أو النزاعات المسلحة.

This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers

Article 8 explained in plain English

This article sets out three prohibitions on child labor, while the provisions of the Labor Law remain in force; it begins with the phrase "without prejudice to what is stated in the Labor Law", meaning the Labor Law's provisions continue to apply alongside it.

No employment before 15: a child may not be employed before reaching the age of fifteen.
No harmful work: it is prohibited to assign a child work that may harm the child's safety or physical or psychological health. This prohibition applies regardless of age within childhood, so it covers a child over 15 and not over 18, the child limit in Article 1.
No military use: it is prohibited to use a child in military work or armed conflicts.

The words "may harm" mean that the possibility of harm is enough and it need not actually occur. The details of the conditions for employing someone who has reached fifteen, such as working hours and type of work, are not stated in this article, and the Labor Law is referred to for them.

This article appears in Chapter Three on prohibitions, and it is followed by the prohibition on sexually exploiting a child or trafficking in a child in Article 9. Anyone facing a particular situation can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.

Practical example

A workshop owner in Riyadh wants to employ a 13-year-old boy to carry heavy parts. Employing him is prohibited because he is under 15, and even if he were 16, assigning him work that may harm his safety or health would still be prohibited.

Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.

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