Article 147 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 147 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
The article requires employers in remote places, mines, quarries and oil exploration centers to provide workers with housing, camps and meals, on conditions set by the Minister.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلزم صاحب العمل الذي يؤدي عملًا في الأماكن البعيدة عن العمران، وفي المناجم والمحاجر ومراكز التنقيب عن النفط بتوفير المساكن والمخيمات والوجبات الغذائية للعمال.
ويحدد الوزير بقرار منه شروط المساكن والمخيمات ومواصفاتها ومقابل الانتفاع بالمساكن، وكذلك عدد الوجبات الغذائية وكميات الطعام وأنواعه والشروط اللازمة لها، وما يتحمله العامل مقابل الوجبة، وغير ذلك مما يلزم للمحافظة على صحة العمال.
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 147 explained in plain English
Article 147 addresses the position of workers who work at sites where it is difficult to obtain housing or food in the usual ways, and it requires the employer to provide for their basic needs at these sites.
Who is covered by the obligation? The text applies to an employer carrying out work in any of the following cases:
- Places far from populated areas (which the Implementing Regulations define under Article 146).
- Mines and quarries.
- Oil exploration centers.
What is required of the employer? Providing 3 things for workers: housing, camps and meals. The details of these obligations are not set by the Law itself but are referred to a decision issued by the Minister, which sets out:
- The conditions and specifications of housing and camps.
- The charge for using the housing.
- The number of meals, the quantities and types of food, and the conditions required for them.
- What the worker bears in return for a meal.
- Any other matters needed to maintain workers' health.
An important point: the text expressly refers to a charge for using housing and to what the worker bears for a meal, meaning the Law does not necessarily provide that housing and food are free, but leaves it to the Minister to decide whether the worker bears a charge and how much. This differs from Article 146, which provides that the services in it (shops, recreation means, medical arrangements, schools, mosques, literacy programs) are at the employer's expense.
How does the article fit with those around it? Articles 146, 147 and 148 form one system for caring for workers at remote sites: Article 146 covers social and health services, Article 147 covers housing and food, and Article 148 requires the employer to provide daily transportation to work sites that regular transport does not reach.
If you work at a site of this kind and your employer has not provided you with housing or meals, or you doubt the correctness of amounts deducted for them, it is useful to refer to the Minister's decision regulating these details, or to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
A contracting company in Riyadh hired Khalid to work at a quarry in a desert area tens of kilometers from the nearest city, where there is no nearby housing or restaurants. Under Article 147, the company must provide a camp or housing for workers at the site and serve them meals. When Khalid asked whether the housing and food were free, the human resources department explained that the Law refers the setting of specifications and what the worker bears for housing and meals to the Minister's decision, and that the company applies what that decision provides. If the quarry site is not reached by regular transport, the company must also provide daily transportation for workers under Article 148.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 147 of the Saudi Labor Law
Must the employer provide housing for workers at remote sites?
Yes. Article 147 requires an employer carrying out work in places far from populated areas, mines, quarries or oil exploration centers to provide housing, camps and meals for workers.
Are housing and meals free for the worker in this case?
The Law does not settle this. The article provides that the Minister sets by decision the charge for using the housing and what the worker bears for a meal, so there may be a charge as the decision provides.
Who sets the specifications for housing and the number of meals?
The Minister sets by decision the conditions and specifications of housing and camps, the number of meals, the quantities and types of food and their required conditions, and anything else needed to maintain workers' health.
What is the difference between Article 146 and Article 147?
Article 146 deals with services such as shops, recreation, medical care, schools, mosques and literacy programs at the employer's expense, while Article 147 deals with housing, camps and meals, leaving what the worker bears of them to the Minister's decision.
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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.