Article 7 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
المادة 7 من نظام الخدمة المدنية · الفصل الأول: شغل الوظيفة
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.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
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 تحدد وزارة الخدمة المدنية مقاييسه وإجراءاته في ضوء متطلبات الوظائف، ويجوز بعد اتفاق وزير الخدمة المدنية والوزير المختص؛ أن تعلن الجهة الإدارية عن الوظائف التي يتفق في شأنها وفق المقاييس والإجراءات التي تحددها وزارة الخدمة المدنية
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 7 explained in plain English
This article regulates announcing posts and evaluating applicants for them, and contains three rules:
- The announcing body: the Ministry of Civil Service announces posts of the tenth grade and below and their equivalents in the civil service salary scales.
- Evaluation: all applicants for these posts are subject to an evaluation, and the Ministry of Civil Service sets its standards and procedures in light of the posts' requirements. No applicant is exempt from this evaluation.
- Announcement by the administrative body: after the agreement of the Minister of Civil Service and the competent Minister, the administrative body itself may announce the posts agreed upon, provided this follows the standards and procedures set by the Ministry of Civil Service.
The article was amended by Royal Decree No. (M/57) dated 24/5/1438 AH to take its current text.
The article does not specify the type of evaluation or its standards, but leaves that to the Ministry of Civil Service. Posts above the tenth grade are also not addressed by this text. Article 6 states the instrument for filling posts by grade, while Article 8 deals with what follows when an employee does not start performing the duties of the post within 15 days of being notified of the appointment decision, without a legitimate excuse.
Anyone with an objection to particular announcement or evaluation procedures would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters and civil service affairs.
Practical example
A government body in Jeddah announced posts of the eighth grade after the Minister of Civil Service and the competent Minister agreed to this. Fahd applied for one of these posts, and like the other applicants he is subject to an evaluation under the standards and procedures set by the Ministry of Civil Service.
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 7 of the Saudi Civil Service Law
Who announces government jobs?
The Ministry of Civil Service announces posts of the tenth grade and below and their equivalents, and the administrative body may announce posts agreed upon after the Minister of Civil Service and the competent Minister agree.
Are all applicants subject to a test or evaluation?
Yes. The article provides that all applicants for these posts are subject to an evaluation whose standards and procedures the Ministry of Civil Service sets.
Does the government body choose the evaluation standards itself when it announces?
No. Even when the administrative body announces, it does so under the standards and procedures set by the Ministry of Civil Service.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/57 — 24/5/1438 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم تعديل هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/ 57) بتاريخ 24/ 5/ 1438هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي:
"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 تحدد وزارة الخدمة المدنية مقاييسه وإجراءاته في ضوء متطلبات الوظائف، ويجوز بعد اتفاق وزير الخدمة المدنية والوزير المختص؛ أن تعلن الجهة الإدارية عن الوظائف التي يتفق في شأنها وفق المقاييس والإجراءات التي تحددها وزارة الخدمة المدنية".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يعلن الديوان العام للخدمة المدنية الوظائف التي في المرتبة العاشرة فما دون ويخضع جميع المتقدمين لشغل هذه الوظائف لتقييم يحدد الديوان العام للخدمة المدنية مقاييسه وإجراءاته حسب ما تقتضيه الوظائف المعلنة ومتطلبات الخدمة.
ويجوز بعد اتفاق رئيس الديوان العام للخدمة المدنية والوزير المختص أن تقوم الجهة الإدارية بامتحان من يتقدمون لشغل بعض وظائف المراتب الخاصة فما دون وفق المقاييس والإجراءات التي يحددها الديوان العام للخدمة المدنية.
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 8
The article provides that the appointment decision of an employee who does not start his duties within 15 days of notification, without a legitimate excuse, is canceled and treated as if never made.
الموظف الذي لا يباشر مهمات وظيفته دون عذر مشروع خلال خمسة عشر (15) يومًا من تاريخ إبلاغه قرار التعيين يلغى قرار تعيينه ويعتبر كأن لم يكن.
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.