Article 8 of the Saudi Enlisted Personnel Service Law

This article shows who holds the power to promote and the conditions:

• An enlisted person, except a sergeant major, may be promoted from his rank to the next higher rank by decision of the Minister.
• A sergeant major may be promoted to the rank of second lieutenant only by order of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces on the recommendation of the Minister.

Promotion takes place only after all of the following conditions are met together:

1. Completion of the minimum period: two years from private to private first class, two years from private first class to lance corporal, three years from lance corporal to corporal, three years from corporal to sergeant, four years from sergeant to staff sergeant, five years from staff sergeant to sergeant major, and five years from sergeant major to second lieutenant, all "at least".
2. Passing the promotion test.
3. Obtaining the educational qualification.
4. Successfully completing the mandatory courses.
5. A recommendation by the commander of his unit for his promotion.
6. A vacancy in the formations for the rank to which he is promoted, suited to his specialization.

Paragraph (b) provides that the Implementing Regulations regulate the provisions of promotion, so procedural details such as the qualification required for each rank are not set by the article. The periods mentioned are a minimum, so their passing alone does not mean entitlement to promotion without the other conditions. A person who objects to a delay in his promotion can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and military service matters.