Article 3 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 3 من نظام العمل · الفصل الأول: التعريفات
The article provides that work is a right of the citizen, that others may not practice it except on the law's conditions, and that citizens are equal in the right to work without discrimination based on sex, disability, age or otherwise.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
العمل حق للمواطن، لا يجوز لغيره ممارسته إلا بعد توافر الشروط المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، والمواطنون متساوون في حق العمل دون أي تمييز على أساس الجنس أو الإعاقة أو السن أو أي شكل من أشكال التمييز الأخرى، سواءً أثناء أداء العمل أو عند التوظيف أو الإعلان عنه.
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 3 explained in plain English
Article 3 of the Labor Law sets two basic principles on which the whole law rests, in its wording in force after the amendment by Royal Decree No. M/134 dated 27/11/1440 AH.
The first principle: work is a right of the citizen. The rule is that a Saudi citizen has the right to work, while a non-citizen may not work in the Kingdom except after meeting the conditions set by this law itself. This article does not state those conditions, but refers to the other provisions of the law that regulate the work of non-Saudis.
The second principle: equality and prohibition of discrimination. Citizens are equal in the right to work, and discrimination between them is prohibited on the basis of:
- Sex (male or female), which is consistent with the definition of worker in Article 2 that expressly includes male and female.
- Disability.
- Age.
- Any other form of discrimination, since the list is not exhaustive.
The prohibition extends to three stages specified in the text: during the performance of work (such as wages, promotion and daily treatment), at the time of hiring (such as selection criteria and interviews), and when advertising the job (such as requiring a particular sex or age in the advertisement without justification under the law).
Who is bound by this article? The employer as Article 2 defines him, that is, any natural or legal person who employs one or more workers for a wage. This obligation is read with Article 4, which requires the employer and worker to observe the provisions of Islamic Sharia when applying the law.
What should an injured person do? A person who believes he was discriminated against in a job advertisement, in hiring or during work may contact the competent labor office, and it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases to assess his position, because the procedures and penalties are not regulated by this article but by other articles of the law and its regulations.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh published an advertisement for an accountant job requiring the applicant to be male and not older than 35. Sarah, a citizen with the required qualification and experience, applied, and her application was rejected merely because she is a woman. This conflicts with Article 3 at two stages: the advertisement, which required a particular sex and age, and the hiring stage, in which she was excluded because of her sex. Both are covered by the prohibition of discrimination between citizens in the text.
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 3 of the Saudi Labor Law
May a non-Saudi work in the Kingdom under Article 3?
Yes, but not unconditionally. The article makes work an original right of the citizen, and others may not practice it except after meeting the conditions the Labor Law sets in its other articles.
What forms of discrimination does Article 3 of the Labor Law prohibit?
The article prohibits discrimination between citizens on the basis of sex, disability or age, and adds the phrase "any other form of discrimination", so the list is not exhaustive.
Does the prohibition of discrimination cover job advertisements or only during work?
The text expressly covers three stages: during the performance of work, at the time of hiring, and when advertising the job. Requiring a particular sex or age in an advertisement without a legal justification falls within the prohibition.
Has Article 3 of the Labor Law been amended?
Yes. The text in force is the one that followed the amendment by Royal Decree No. M/134 dated 27/11/1440 AH, which contains the citizen's right to work and the principle of equality and prohibition of discrimination.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/134 — 27/11/1440 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
عُدلت هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م / 134) وتاريخ 27 / 11 / 1440هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي: "العمل حق للمواطن، لا يجوز لغيره ممارسته إلا بعد توافر الشروط المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، والمواطنون متساوون في حق العمل دون أي تمييز على أساس الجنس أو الإعاقة أو السن أو أي شكل من أشكال التمييز الأخرى، سواءً أثناء أداء العمل أو عند التوظيف أو الإعلان عنه".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
العمل حق للمواطن، لا يجوز لغيره ممارسته إلا بعد توافر الشروط المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، والمواطنون متساوون في حق العمل.
More articles on Definitions and General Provisions of the Labor Law
- Article 1
Article 1 gives this law its official name, the "Labor Law", the name used in contracts, decisions and all other articles of the law.
يسمى هذا النظام نظام العمل.
- Article 2Amended by M/44
Article 2 defines the terms used in the Labor Law, such as worker, employer, basic and actual wage, continuous service, types of work, secondment and resignation.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: الوزارة: وزارة العمل. الوزير: وزير العمل. مكتب العم
- Article 4
Article 4 requires the employer and the worker alike to observe the provisions of Islamic Sharia in everything relating to the application of the Labor Law.
يجب على صاحب العمل والعامل عند تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام الالتزام بمقتضيات أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية.
- Article 5Amended (1436 AH)
Article 5 sets the scope of the Labor Law: every paid employment contract under an employer's management, government and public-body workers, charity workers, training contracts, and part-time workers within set limits.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على الآتي : 1 - كل عقد عمل يلتزم بمقتضاه أي شخص بالعمل لمصلحة صاحب عمل وتحت إدارته أو إشرافه؛ مقابل أجر. 2 - عمال الحكومة والهيئات والمؤسس
- Article 6
Article 6 sets the provisions that apply to the casual, seasonal and temporary worker: duties, discipline, working hours, rest, overtime, official holidays, safety, work injuries and what the Minister decides.
تسري على العامل العرضي والموسمي والمؤقت الأحكام الخاصة بالواجبات وقواعد التأديب، والحد الأقصى لساعات العمل، وفترات الراحة اليومية والراحة الأسبوعية، والتشغيل ال
- Article 7Amended by M/44
Article 7 excludes five categories from the application of the Labor Law, requiring the Minister to issue special regulations for four of them whose violation is punished under Article 229.
1- يستثنى من تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام كل من: أ- أفراد أسرة صاحب العمل، وهم زوجه وأصوله وفروعه الذين يعملون في المنشأة التي لا تضم سواهم. ب- لاعبو الأندية والاتحاد
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.