Article 5 of the Saudi GCC Insurance Protection Extension Law
المادة 5 من النظام الموحد لمد الحماية التأمينية لمواطني دول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية العاملين في غير دولهم في أي دولة عضو في المجلس · الباب الأول: التعاريف والأحكام العامة ونطاق التطبيق
The article limits the Law to the retirement or old-age, disability, sickness and death insurance branch, without preventing work injury and occupational disease insurance from applying under the rules of the state of the workplace.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقتصر تطبيق هذا النظام على فرع تأمين التقاعد / الشيخوخة والعجز والمرض والوفاة، ولا يحول ذلك دون تطبيق فرع تأمين إصابات العمل والأمراض المهنية بالنسبة للموظف / العامل وفقا للأحكام المعمول بها في الدولة مقر العمل .
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 5 explained in plain English
This article sets out the scope of protection that the Law provides, and distinguishes between two types of insurance:
First: what the Law covers
The application of the Law is limited to the insurance branch for:
- retirement or old age,
- disability,
- sickness,
- and death.
Second: work injuries and occupational diseases
The limitation of the Law to the branch above does not prevent the work injury and occupational disease insurance branch from applying to the employee or worker in accordance with the provisions in force in the state of the workplace.
The result: a GCC national working in another state may be covered by two systems at the same time, each with its own scope:
- This Law, for the retirement, disability, sickness and death branch.
- The provisions of the state of the workplace, for work injuries and occupational diseases.
The rationale is that a work injury is tied to the place and conditions of work, so it makes sense for the state in which the work takes place to deal with it.
This article does not set out the details of either branch. Article 4 sets out the conditions for being subject to the Law, and Article 6 deals with the obligations of the home state's bodies.
To apply this to a specific case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in social insurance and retirement laws.
Practical example
A Qatari national who works in a factory in Dammam is injured at work. The work injury provisions in force in the Kingdom, as the state of the workplace, apply to his injury, while he is covered by this Law in the retirement, disability, sickness and death branch.
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 5 of the Saudi GCC Insurance Protection Extension Law
Does the Law Extending Insurance Protection cover work injuries?
The Law is limited to the retirement or old-age, disability, sickness and death branch, but this does not prevent work injury and occupational disease insurance from applying under the rules of the state of the workplace.
Which law applies to a work injury of a GCC national in Saudi Arabia?
The provisions in force in the state of the workplace.
More articles on Conditions for Coverage and Insurance Branches
- Article 4
The Law applies compulsorily to GCC nationals working in another member state, provided that their own state's law applies to them, they work for a covered employer in the state of the workplace, and they prove their nationality.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام إلزاميا على مواطني دول المجلس الذين يعملون خارج دولهم في أي دولة عضو في المجلس شريطة أن تتوافر بشأنهم الشروط التالية : 1 - أن تنطبق عليه ا
- Article 14
The article stops an employee's or worker's participation in the Law if he loses any of the conditions for coverage set out in Article 4.
يوقف اشتراك الموظف / العامل طبقا لأحكام هذا النظام إذا فقد شرطا من شروط الخضوع لأحكامه الواردة في المادة (4) من هذا النظام .
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.