Article 10 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
المادة 10 من نظام الخدمة المدنية · الفصل الأول: شغل الوظيفة
The article provides that promoting and transferring employees to vacant posts follow the classification rules, and that a promotion does not take effect before the date of its decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ - تتم ترقية ونقل الموظفين إلى الوظائف الشاغرة وفق الأحكام التي تحددها قواعد التصنيف بما في ذلك مؤهلات وشروط شغل الوظيفة.
ب - لا تكون الترقية نافذة قبل تاريخ صدور القرار بها.
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 10 explained in plain English
This article deals with two rules on promotion and transfer:
First (paragraph a): employees are promoted and transferred to vacant posts under the provisions set by the classification rules, including the qualifications and conditions for filling the post. This means two things:
- Promotion and transfer are to a vacant post.
- The employee promoted or transferred must meet the qualifications for the new post and the conditions for filling it according to the classification rules.
Second (paragraph b): a promotion does not take effect before the date the decision for it is issued. What counts is the date the promotion decision is issued, and the promotion does not apply to a period before that date.
The article does not detail the specific conditions for promotion, such as the required period or the method of comparing candidates, but refers them to the classification rules, which should be consulted for the conditions required for each post. Related provisions include Article 9, which provides that an employee appointed initially is on probation for one year, and Article 11, which sets the employee's duties, such as refraining from anything that compromises the dignity of the post and devoting working time to performing his duties.
Anyone who believes they earned a promotion that was not granted, or who has a dispute about the date a promotion took effect, would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters and civil service affairs.
Practical example
Saad met the conditions for promotion to a vacant post at his government body in Riyadh, and his promotion decision was issued in Rajab. Under this article his promotion does not take effect before the date the decision was issued, so it is not counted for him for the months before it.
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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Frequently asked questions about Article 10 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
When does a promotion in a government job start?
Article 10 provides that a promotion does not take effect before the date the decision for it is issued.
Can someone be promoted to a post that is not vacant?
The article provides that promotion and transfer are to vacant posts under the classification rules.
What governs the conditions for promotion and transfer?
They are governed by the provisions set by the classification rules, including the qualifications and conditions for filling the post.
More articles on Filling a Public Position
- Article 1
The article makes merit the basis on which employees are selected to fill public posts.
الجدارة هي الأساس في اختيار الموظفين لشغل الوظيفة العامة.
- Article 2
The article charges the Ministry of Civil Service with classifying posts, including contract-line posts, and refers the classification method and filling requirements to rules set by the Regulations.
تصنف وزارة الخدمة المدنية الوظائف، بما فيها وظائف البنود، ويحدد أسلوب تصنيفها ومتطلبات شغلها وفق قواعد تحددها اللائحة
- Article 4
The article sets the general conditions for appointment to government posts, such as nationality, age, fitness, conduct, qualification, no criminal record and no disciplinary dismissal, with specific exceptions.
مع مراعاة ما تقضيه به الأنظمة الأخرى، يشترط فيمن يعين على الوظائف أن يكون: أ- سعودي الجنسية، ويجوز استثناء من ذلك استخدام غير السعودي بصفة مؤقتة في الوظائف التي
- Article 5
The article provides that posts in the Royal Courts are filled by royal order.
يتم شغل وظائف الدواوين الملكية بأمر ملكي.
- Article 6Amended (1438 AH)
The article identifies who issues the decision to fill posts according to their grade, and allows employees in grades 14 and 15 to be transferred within the body by the Minister's decision after the Prime Minister's approval.
يكون شغل وظائف المرتبتين (الرابعة عشرة) و(الخامسة عشرة) بقرار من مجلس الوزراء، ويكون شغل وظائف المرتبة (الثالثة عشرة) فما دون بقرار من الوزير المختص وفقاً للشرو
- Article 7Amended (1438 AH)
The article requires the Ministry of Civil Service to announce posts of the tenth grade and below and their equivalents and to subject applicants to an evaluation with set standards, and allows a body to announce posts after the two ministers agree.
تعلن وزارة الخدمة المدنية عن الوظائف التي في المرتبة (العاشرة) فما دون وما يعادلها في سلالم رواتب الخدمة المدنية، ويخضع جميع المتقدمين لشغل هذه الوظائف لتقويم ت
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.