Article 36 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 36 من نظام العمل · الباب الثالث: توظيف غير السعوديين
Article 36 requires the Minister to issue a decision specifying the professions and jobs that non-Saudis are prohibited from working in.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على الوزير أن يحدد بقرار منه المهن والأعمال التي يحظر على غير السعودي الاشتغال بها.
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 36 explained in plain English
Article 36 of the Labor Law sets the basic rule for limiting certain professions to Saudis, but it does not list these professions itself; instead it requires the Minister to specify them in a decision issued by the Minister. The Law here draws the framework and leaves the details to a ministerial decision that can be updated according to the needs of the labor market.
What the article means in practice:
- The employer cannot employ a non-Saudi in any profession or job listed in the Minister's decision, even if the worker is qualified for it.
- The non-Saudi worker needs to make sure that the profession they are being contracted for is not one of the prohibited professions, because the Law prevents them from working in it in the first place.
- The Minister is the only authority empowered to specify this list, and neither the employer nor the worker can get around it by agreement between them.
This article falls within Part Three on the employment of non-Saudis, and it works together with the neighboring articles. Article 35 gives the Ministry the power to refrain from renewing the work permit if the employer violates the job localization standards or the requirements in the Regulations, with safeguards protecting the worker from the effects of non-renewal, such as the possibility of transferring their service to another employer without the violating employer's consent. Article 37 requires that a non-Saudi's employment contract be in writing and for a fixed term, and treats its term as one year if the contract does not state it. Articles 35, 36 and 37 together form a system regulating which non-Saudis may be employed, in which professions, and in what contractual form.
Because the article refers to the Minister's decision without naming the professions, knowing whether a particular profession is prohibited requires referring to the ministerial decision in force at the time of hiring, and it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases where there is doubt about the status of a particular profession or the effect of a violation on the contract or work permit.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh intends to employ a non-Saudi worker in a particular job, and its human resources manager asks it to first check the Minister's decision issued under Article 36. After review it turns out that the job is listed among the professions prohibited to non-Saudis, so the company stops the contracting procedures with this worker and reopens the job to Saudi applicants, because any agreement to employ him in it would violate the Law, and because violating localization standards could expose it to non-renewal of work permits under Article 35.
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 36 of the Saudi Labor Law
Who determines the professions prohibited to non-Saudis in the Labor Law?
Under Article 36, the Minister specifies by decision the professions and jobs that a non-Saudi is prohibited from working in; the Law does not list the professions itself but refers them to a ministerial decision.
May the employer and the worker agree to work in a profession prohibited to non-Saudis?
No. Article 36 prohibits a non-Saudi from working in the professions the Minister specifies, and this prohibition is established by the Law and cannot be got around by agreement of the parties.
How does Article 36 relate to Articles 35 and 37 of the Labor Law?
The three articles regulate the employment of non-Saudis together: Article 36 specifies the professions prohibited to them by the Minister's decision, Article 35 allows the Ministry not to renew the work permit where localization standards are violated, and Article 37 requires a non-Saudi's contract to be written and for a fixed term.
How do I know whether my profession is prohibited to non-Saudis?
Article 36 does not name the professions, so you need to refer to the Minister's decision in force that specifies them, and where in doubt it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
More articles on Recruitment and Employing Non-Saudis
- Article 11Amended (1436 AH)
Article 11 requires anyone entrusted with the employer's original work, or part of it, to give his own workers all the rights and benefits that the original employer gives his workers.
إذا عهد صاحب العمل لأي شخص طبيعي أو معنوي القيام بعمل من أعماله الأصلية، أو جزء منها؛ وجب على الأخير أن يعطي عماله جميع الحقوق والمزايا التي يعطيها صاحب العمل ا
- Article 11 bisAmended (1436 AH)
The article gives the Minister the power to take measures that ensure better labor market performance and regulate the movement of labor, without prejudice to the provisions of the law and related laws.
مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام هذا النظام والأنظمة ذات العلاقة؛ للوزير أن يتخذ الإجراءات التي من شأنها أن تكفل تحسين أداء سوق العمل، وتنظيم حركة انتقال الأيدي العاملة
- Article 21
Article 21 requires the Minister to coordinate with the relevant bodies whenever needed in order to implement the provisions of the Labor Law.
على الوزير- في سبيل تنفيذ أحكام هذا النظام- التنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة كلما اقتضى الأمر ذلك.
- Article 22Amended by M/44
Article 22 requires the Ministry to provide free employment channels that connect workers and employers, collect labor market data, register job seekers and guide them toward suitable training.
توفر الوزارة قنوات للتوظيف دون مقابل، تقوم بما يأتي: 1 - مساعدة العمال في الحصول على الأعمال المناسبة، ومساعدة أصحاب الأعمال في إيجاد العمال المناسبين. 2 - جمع
- Article 23Amended by M/44
Article 23 gives every citizen of working age who is able and willing to work the right to ask for their name to be registered with the employment channels, providing basic personal details.
لكل مواطن في سن العمل قادر على العمل وراغب فيه أن يطلب قيد اسمه في قنوات التوظيف، مع بيان تاريخ مولده ومؤهلاته وأعماله السابقة ورغباته وعنوانه.
- Article 24Amended by M/44
Article 24 refers to the Regulations the rules of operation, procedures, forms of records and notices, and occupational classification tables of the employment channels, as the basis for organizing hiring operations.
تحدد اللائحة قواعد سير العمل وإجراءاته في قنوات التوظيف، ونماذج السجلات والإشعارات والأوراق المستخدمة في أعمالها، وكذلك جداول تصنيف المهن وفقًا للتصنيف المهني ا
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.