Article 44 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 44 من نظام العمل · الباب الرابع: التدريب والتأهيل
Article 44 requires a training program to state the target skill, its rules, duration, hours, theoretical and practical programs, testing method and certificates, and refers the detailed standards to the Regulations.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجب أن يشتمل برنامج التدريب على المهارة التي يتدرب العامل عليها والقواعد والشروط التي تتبع في التدريب، وعلى مدته وعدد ساعاته والبرامج التدريبية النظرية والعملية، وطريقة الاختبار والشهادات التي تمنح في هذا الشأن. وتحدد اللائحة المعايير والقواعد العامة التي ينبغي اتباعها بهذا الخصوص لرفع مستوى أداء العامل من حيث المهارة والإنتاجية.
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 44 explained in plain English
Article 44 of the Labor Law sets out the minimum that any training or qualification program set by an employer must contain, whether the training is an obligation on it under Article 43 (training Saudi workers whose studies it funds) or under a qualification and training contract as defined in Article 45. The aim is for the training to be organized and clear to both parties, not merely a general promise.
According to the text in force, the training program must include the following elements:
- The skill the worker is being trained in.
- The rules and conditions followed during training.
- The duration of training and its number of hours.
- The theoretical and practical training programs.
- The testing method by which what the trainee has acquired is measured.
- The certificates granted on passing the training.
As for the detailed standards and general rules to be followed to raise the worker's level of performance in terms of skill and productivity, the article refers them to the Implementing Regulations without specifying them itself, so they are to be consulted for the details.
What does this mean in practice? For the worker or trainee, the program must show what they will learn, how long it will take, how they will be tested and what certificate they will obtain. For the employer, preparing the program with these elements protects it in any dispute over the content or results of the training.
Note that the current text of the article was issued by Royal Decree No. M/44 dated 8/2/1446 AH, and has applied since 20/8/1446 AH. If there is a dispute over the implementation of a particular training program, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh entered into a qualification and training contract with Ahmed to prepare him as an air-conditioning maintenance technician. Under Article 44, it is not enough for the contract to say only "training in maintenance"; the training program must state the skill precisely, the rules Ahmed must follow during training, the duration of the program and its number of hours, the theoretical part in the training room and the practical part in the workshop, the method of the final test, and the type of certificate he will receive on passing. In preparing this program the company is bound by the general standards set by the Implementing Regulations.
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 44 of the Saudi Labor Law
What elements must a training program contain under Article 44 of the Labor Law?
The program must include the skill the worker is being trained in, the rules and conditions followed in training, its duration and number of hours, the theoretical and practical programs, the testing method, and the certificates granted.
Does Article 44 set a particular duration or number of hours for training?
No. The article requires the program to state the duration and the number of hours without setting a specific number, and refers the standards and general rules to the Implementing Regulations.
Who sets the detailed training standards to raise the worker's skill and productivity?
The article provides that the Regulations set the standards and general rules to be followed to raise the worker's level of performance in terms of skill and productivity.
How does Article 44 relate to Articles 43 and 45?
Article 43 requires the employer to qualify or train Saudi workers whose studies it funds, and Article 45 defines the qualification and training contract, while Article 44 sets out what the training program itself must contain in both cases.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/44 — 8/2/1446 AH
In effect from 20/8/1446 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- صدر المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/44) وتاريخ 1446/2/8هـ، وذلك بالموافقة على تعديلات بعض مواد نظام العمل (ويعمل بها من تاريخ 1446/8/20هـ)
وعدلت هذه المادة لتكون بالنص الآتي: "يجب أن يشتمل برنامج التدريب على المهارة التي يتدرب العامل عليها والقواعد والشروط التي تتبع في التدريب، وعلى مدته وعدد ساعاته والبرامج التدريبية النظرية والعملية، وطريقة الاختبار والشهادات التي تمنح في هذا الشأن. وتحدد اللائحة المعايير والقواعد العامة التي ينبغي اتباعها بهذا الخصوص لرفع مستوى أداء العامل من حيث المهارة والإنتاجية".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجب أن يشتمل برنامج التدريب على القواعد والشروط التي تتبع في التدريب، وعلى مدته وعدد ساعاته والبرامج التدريبية النظرية والعملية، وطريقة الاختبار والشهادات التي تمنح في هذا الشأن، وتحدد اللائحة المعايير والقواعد العامة التي ينبغي اتباعها بهذا الخصوص لرفع مستوى أداء العامل من حيث المهارة والإنتاجية.
More articles on Training and Qualification
- 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 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 26
Article 26 requires every establishment, whatever its size or activity, to attract, hire and train Saudis, with Saudis making up at least 75% of workers, which the Minister may temporarily reduce.
1- على جميع المنشآت في مختلف أنشطتها، وأيًّا كان عدد العاملين فيها، العمل على استقطاب السعوديين وتوظيفهم، وتوفير وسائل استمرارهم في العمل، وإتاحة الفرصة المناسب
- Article 41
Article 41 refers to the Regulations the conditions for recruiting non-Saudi labor, transferring its services and changing its profession, and the related controls and procedures.
تحدد اللائحة شروط الاستقدام، ونقل الخدمات، وتغيير المهنة، وضوابط ذلك وإجراءاته.
- Article 42Amended by M/44
Article 42 requires every employer to set a policy for training and qualifying its Saudi workers to raise their skills in technical, administrative and professional work, and leaves the detailed provisions to the Implementing Regulations.
على كل صاحب عمل وضع سياسة لتدريب عماله السعوديين وتأهيلهم، من أجل رفع مهاراتهم وتحسين مستواهم في الأعمال الفنية والإدارية والمهنية وغيرها. وتحدد اللائحة الأحكام
- Article 43Amended by M/44
Article 43 requires an employer to qualify or train, for its work, the Saudi workers who complete their studies at its expense, subject to the terms of franchise agreements, and refers the details to the Regulations.
دون إخلال بما تنص عليه اتفاقيات الامتياز وغيرها من الاتفاقيات من شروط وقواعد خاصة بالتدريب والتأهيل ورفع المهارات؛ على كل صاحب عمل أن يؤهل أو يدرب على أعماله من
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.