Article 38 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 38 من نظام العمل · الباب الثالث: توظيف غير السعوديين
Article 38 prohibits an employer from employing a worker in a profession other than the one recorded in their work permit, and prohibits the worker from working outside their profession before the statutory procedures for changing it are completed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لصاحب العمل توظيف العامل في مهنة غير المهنة المدونة في رخصة عمله، ويحظر على العامل الاشتغال في غير مهنته قبل اتخاذ الإجراءات النظامية لتغيير المهنة.
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 38 explained in plain English
Article 38 falls within Part Three on the employment of non-Saudis, and it ties the work a worker performs to the profession recorded in their work permit. The permit does not merely allow the worker to work; it also specifies the type of profession they may practice.
The article imposes two corresponding obligations:
- On the employer: it may not employ the worker in a profession other than the one recorded in the work permit, even if the worker agrees or is able to perform the new work.
- On the worker: they are prohibited from working outside their profession before the statutory procedures for changing the profession are taken.
The only way out the article allows is changing the profession through the statutory procedures; the article does not prevent changing the profession altogether, but requires the procedures to be completed first, and the new work to begin only afterward. The article itself does not specify the details of these procedures or their duration, and the competent bodies regulate them.
Its relationship to the neighboring articles:
- Article 37 requires a non-Saudi's employment contract to be written and for a fixed term, and it is natural for the profession stated in the contract to match the profession recorded in the work permit.
- Article 39 prohibits a worker from working for another employer or on their own account, and prohibits an employer from employing a worker who is not its own worker, and it assigns the Ministry to inspect establishments, detect violations and apply the penalties set by the Law, and refer to the Ministry of Interior matters within its jurisdiction. Articles 38 and 39 thus complement each other: the first controls the type of work, and the second controls who the work is for.
What does the worker do in practice? If the employer asks them to perform a profession different from the one recorded in their permit, they may rely on the text of the article and ask that the procedures for changing the profession be completed before starting the new work. If the matter develops into a dispute or has consequences for their legal status, it is appropriate to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
Khalid, a non-Saudi worker, works for a contracting company in Dammam, and the profession recorded in his work permit is "electrician". After the number of electrical projects declined, the company asked him to work as a driver of its trucks at the same salary. Under Article 38 the company may not employ him as a driver as long as his registered profession is electrician, and Khalid himself may not accept that before the procedures for changing the profession are completed. The lawful solution is for the company to complete the procedures for changing his profession first, and then for him to start the new work; otherwise both parties would be exposed to liability when the Ministry inspects, as referred to in Article 39.
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 38 of the Saudi Labor Law
May an employer move a non-Saudi worker to a profession other than the one recorded in their work permit?
No. Article 38 prevents the employer from employing the worker in a profession other than the one recorded in their work permit. The move is permitted only after the statutory procedures for changing the profession are taken.
Is the worker penalized if they work outside their profession at the employer's request?
The text prohibits the worker themselves from working outside their profession before the statutory procedures for changing the profession are taken, so the obligation falls on both parties, and under Article 39 the Ministry detects violations and applies the penalties set by the Law.
Can a non-Saudi worker's profession be changed at all?
Yes. The article does not prevent changing the profession, but requires the statutory procedures for changing it to be completed before starting the new work. The article does not specify the details of these procedures, and the competent bodies regulate them.
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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)
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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
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على الوزير- في سبيل تنفيذ أحكام هذا النظام- التنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة كلما اقتضى الأمر ذلك.
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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
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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.